Changing the Game: Adaptive Sports
Stay safe when participating in adaptive sports.
Adaptive sports, modified to fit the needs of the athlete, allow individuals to continue to do what they love.
Like many of our patients, Steven has grown up coming to Shriners Children’s Philadelphia since the age of 5. He was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a neurological disorder caused by inflammation to both sides of a section of the spinal cord. In Steven’s situation, the inflammation occurred in his cervical spine.
Due to his condition, Steven has impaired strength and sensation throughout his arms and legs. This is defined as incomplete quadriplegia (tetraplegia).
After making the switch from playing wheelchair basketball three years ago, Steven began playing wheelchair rugby through the Magee Rehabilitation Program, and he has loved it ever since.
While he was a patient, Steven worked with our team of physical therapists, where sports-specific training was a part of his care plan.
His goals were to get stronger for his sport, and with his upper extremity strength and range of motion limitations, he needed the specialization/skill set of a physical therapist to adapt his strength training movements.
