Paralympic Athletes Research Articles

Portuguese Olympic and Paralympic athletes’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the Tokyo-2020 Olympic Games

ABSTRACT For the first time in history, the Olympic Games were postponed due to the dissemination of the new coronavirus, which has physically and psychologically affected all involved in sports. Understanding how Olympic and Paralympic athletes experienced this crisis was of utmost importance in this context. The current article aimed to explore the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Portuguese Olympic and Paralympic athletes, focusing on their perceptions and emotions. Therefore, using a qualitative methodology, data were collected through semi-structured online interviews with 15 athletes (M = 29,9 ± 5,5 years) from both sexes (n male = 9), including 13 Olympic athletes and two Paralympic athletes of various sports. Overall, the content analysis suggested that participants had multiple perceptions regarding the postponement, which impacted their social and personal life and their sports careers, affecting both training and competition. More importantly, results seem to suggest that although the postponement of the Olympic Games negatively affected athletes, it was also perceived as an opportunity for growth and development. Regarding emotional reactions, athletes reported more negatively-toned emotions, especially anxiety, while also mentioning positively-toned emotions. This one-time event created an opportunity to study the situation from the athletes’ points of view. The results reassure the individual, dynamic, and complex nature of athletes’ experience. Findings may also provide important cues to help athletes and sports agents deal with other stressful events, regardless of their level of competition.

Doping in Paralympic sport: perceptions, responsibility and anti-doping education experiences from the perspective of Paralympic athletes and parasport coaches.

Limited effort has been invested in understanding doping in Paralympic sport. The limited evidence that exists suggests that factors influencing doping in parasport are similar to Olympic sport. However, based on the design and nature of the previous studies, where methods have been mostly limited to qualitative data and prevalence numbers, further research is warranted to extend previous findings. Informed by current evidence from Paralympic and Olympic sport, we aimed to investigate (1) para-athletes' perceptions of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) and responsibility for them, (2) descriptive norms for doping in parasport (3) perceptions of anti-doping education and legitimacy of anti-doping authorities, and (4) coach engagement in doping prevention and levels of doping confrontation efficacy using a quantitative survey approach. In total, valid survey responses from 126 Paralympic athletes and 35 coaches from four countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK) were analysed for experience with anti-doping, descriptive norms, anti-doping education, perceived legitimacy, knowledge, and doping confrontation efficacy (coaches only). Across both athletes and coaches, the level of education was generally good and doping willingness was low. Classification cheating was considered a form of doping and seems to be an important issue for athletes and coaches, especially within the UK sample. For 33.3% of the athletes, doping control was their first experience with anti-doping. Coaches' engagement with doping prevention activities and their perceived efficacy to confront doping-related matters appears to be higher compared to Olympic coaches' samples. Sport organisations/NADOs in Paralympic sport could use synergies with those organisations in Olympic sport, adopting similar approaches to anti-doping education, also focusing on a balanced communication of doping prevalence numbers and testing figures. Efforts to ensure athletes are educated about anti-doping before they are tested should be upheld. It seems that in para sport, different compared to able-bodied coaches, anti-doping organizations do not have to convince the coaches about their roles (i.e., being responsible for anti-doping education) anymore but can directly build on these resources. Overall, it seems that there are few differences between parasport and able-bodied sports and thus responsible organisations could use the existing programmes in Olympic sport and only adapt special content (e.g., boosting) which is unique to Paralympic athletes.

Analysis of the Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool 1 (SMHAT-1) in Team USA athletes

ObjectiveThe Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool 1 (SMHAT-1) was introduced as a critical component to the athlete health evaluation. However, the effectiveness of the initial triage step questionnaire (Athlete Psychological...

A-39 A Comparison of Concussion Reporting between the Olympic and Paralympic Games

Abstract Purpose Research has established that the Paralympic Games have a higher injury rate than the Olympic Games, but less is known about how concussion rates may differ between these two populations. Concussions in Paralympic athletes are more difficult to accurately diagnose due to the lack of robust concussion guidelines specific to para athletes. This literature review sought to compare reporting of concussion symptoms and incidence between the Paralympic and Olympic Games since 2010. Data Selection: Searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate were performed to identify Paralympic and Olympic injury and surveillance study data. Hand-searching citation lists yielded additional results. Articles were included if they reported head injury and/or concussion data. Results Fourteen articles were included that provided injury surveillance study data from 2010 to 2022. Data on head injury and concussion incidence and diagnosis were extracted and reviewed. Between 2010 and 2018, higher concussion rates were reported in Olympic athletes, possibly due to the lack of concussion-specific injury questions for Paralympic athletes. When concussion-specific injury questions for Paralympic athletes were implemented in 2018, data suggests that Paralympic athletes sustained more concussions than Olympic athletes. Additionally, the review suggested potential under-reporting of concussions in Paralympic athletes, despite symptoms, suggesting incidence may be higher than reported. Conclusions Higher concussion rates in the Paralympic Games and possible under-reporting of concussions highlights the need for improved identification and evaluation of concussions in Paralympic athletes. Establishing robust guidelines for the identification, evaluation, and management of concussions for para athletes is critical to increase their safety.

Immunological Response to Exercise in Athletes with Disabilities: A Narrative Review of the Literature.

For a person with a disability, participating in sports activities and/or competitions can be a challenge for the immune system. The relationship between exercise and immunity response in disabled athletes is, indeed, extremely complex for several reasons, including (1) the chronic low-grade inflammatory and immunodepression-"secondary immune deficiency"-state imposed by the disability/impairment; (2) the impact of the disability on an array of variables, spanning from physical fitness to well-being, quality of life, sleep, and nutritional aspects, among others, which are known to mediate/modulate the effects of exercise on human health; (3) the variability of the parameters related to the exercise/physical activity (modality, frequency, intensity, duration, training versus competition, etc.); and (4) the intra- and inter-individual variability of the immunological response to exercise. In able-bodied athletes, previously published data described several exercise-induced changes affecting various immunological subsets and subpopulations, ranging from neutrophils to lymphocytes, and monocytes. Broadly, moderate intensity workout is accompanied by optimal immunity and resistance to infections such as upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in athletes. Periods of intense training with insufficient recovery can cause a temporary state of immunosuppression, which should end with a few days of rest/recovery from exercise. Disabled athletes are relatively overlooked and understudied with respect to their able-bodied counterparts. Findings from the few studies available on paralympic and disabled athletes are here summarized and analyzed utilizing a narrative approach to review and determine the major features of the immunological and inflammatory responses to exercise in this specific population. Moreover, a few studies have reported behavioral, dietary, and training strategies that can be adopted to limit exercise-induced immunosuppression and reduce the risk of infection in people with disabilities. However, given the paucity of data and contrasting findings, future high-quality investigations on paralympic and disabled athletes are urgently needed.

Paralympic cripvertising: On the gendered self-representations of Paralympic athletes on social media

Paralympic athletes are increasingly using social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok to self-represent and engage audiences in disability counter narratives that resist dominant disability stereotypes. This is particularly the case at the intersection of gender and sexuality where social media is being harnessed to visibly reclaim gendered and sexualised disabled identities in new and diverse ways. In this article, we advance scholarship on female Paralympic athletes’ self-representational practices through an intersectional visual media analysis of the most popular female British Paralympic athlete Instagram pages. We capture a particular trend in Paralympic athletes’ self-representational practices, termed cripvertising, that intersects with gendered heteronormative scripts centred on neoliberal ableism, kinship normativity and consumption (‘branding’) capabilities. We discuss the contradictions and complexities of Paralympians self-representations and their role in relation to the subversive, pedagogical and emancipatory potential for shaping new disability media narratives, disabled (online) normativity and representational politics.

National Paralympic sport policies influencing a country’s Paralympic success

ABSTRACT The Paralympics Games are increasing in competitiveness as more countries seek top medal outcomes. In response, governments are focusing on the development and implementation of effective national sport policies/systems to optimise Paralympic success. However, little is known about national sport policy influencing a country’s Paralympic success. Indeed, the literature on national elite sport policy has focused on Olympic sport and emerging Paralympic sport studies are limited to a country/sport. The aim of this research was to identify key national Paralympic sport policy interventions influencing a country’s Paralympic medal outcomes. This exploratory qualitative study was informed by a realist perspective, and by the social relational and human rights models of disability. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with national Paralympic sport managers from the United Kingdom, Australia, France and Canada, and the data was analysed using qualitative descriptive analysis. Findings confirm that existing national Olympic sport policies are also important for Paralympic success, however, within these policies, parasport-specific processes were identified, and two policy interventions unique to Paralympic sports were found: integration of disability-specific and Paralympic sport knowledge in the sporting system, and a national framework for Paralympic athlete classification. This study advances knowledge on national Paralympic sport policies and suggests that researchers, evaluators, and practitioners need to account for Paralympic-specific policies and processes. Tailoring policies to the specificities of the Paralympic domain may provide competitive advantage in the Paralympic Games. This study argues for further research to understand how the identified policy interventions may be influenced by the country’s context.

Assessment of asymmetry at different intensities between conventional and paralympic powerlifting athletes

Powerlifting competitions require consistent and symmetric lifting of heavy loads and maximal effort, in which, asymmetric lifting results in trial invalidation. Symmetry during this very high intensity movement is determinant to athletes’ performance and success in competitions. This study aimed to compare the asymmetry between Conventional Powerlifting athletes (CP) and Paralympic (PP) athletes at intensities of 45 and 80% 1RM before and after a training session. Twenty-two male athletes (11 CP: 29.84 ± 4.21 and 11 PP: 30.81 ± 8.05 years old) participated in this study. Mean Propulsive Velocity (MPV), Maximum Velocity (Vmax) and Power during the concentric and eccentric phases were evaluated at 45%-1RM before and after a training session. For the intensity of 80%-1RM, MPV, Vmax and Power were measured in the first and last series (5 series of 5 repetitions: 5X5) of a training session. PP athletes demonstrated lower velocity and greater symmetry at 45%-1RM, but higher velocity and less asymmetry at 80%-1RM, when compared to CP. The data indicated that PP athletes tend to be slower at lower intensities, faster at higher intensities in absolute values, and have greater symmetry than CP.

Psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in Brazilian Para athletes

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is an instrument that assesses subjective well-being in relation to life that was originally proposed in the English language. To analyze the psychometric properties do the SWLS for use with Para athletes. A convenience sample of 309 Brazilian Paralympic athletes (age: 33.08 ± 9.85 years) of both sexes was chosen. We conducted an online survey, and participants completed an anamnesis and SWLS questionnaires using the Qualtrics® software. To analyze confirmatory, the comparison fit index (CFI), the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) and the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) were used. Reliability was estimated by the ordinal alpha and omega coefficients. A multigroup analysis estimates a factor invariance. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported a single factor structure for the SWLS, with an acceptable fit. Cronbach’s α (0.88) and McDonald’s Omega (0.88) were indicative of internal consistency. Factorial invariance across gender, impairment, sports, and competition level was confirmed. The Brazilian version of the SWLS for Para athletes showed satisfactory psychometric properties and can be used to measure life satisfaction in the Paralympic context. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is an instrument that assesses subjective well-being in relation to life that was originally proposed in the English language. To analyze the psychometric properties do the SWLS for use with Para athletes. A convenience sample of 309 Brazilian Paralympic athletes (age: 33.08 ± 9.85 years) of both sexes was chosen. We conducted an online survey, and participants completed an anamnesis and SWLS questionnaires using the Qualtrics® software. To analyze confirmatory, the comparison fit index (CFI), the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) and the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) were used. Reliability was estimated by the ordinal alpha and omega coefficients. A multigroup analysis estimates a factor invariance. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported a single factor structure for the SWLS, with an acceptable fit. Cronbach’s α (0.88) and McDonald’s Omega (0.88) were indicative of internal consistency. Factorial invariance across gender, impairment, sports, and competition level was confirmed. The Brazilian version of the SWLS for Para athletes showed satisfactory psychometric properties and can be used to measure life satisfaction in the Paralympic context. O objetivo principal do presente estudo foi avaliar as propriedades psicométricas da Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) para paratletas brasileiros, bem como sua estrutura fatorial, confiabilidade e invariância. 309 paratletas (idade: 33,08 ± 9,85 anos), recrutados por conveniência, de ambos os sexos, foram avaliados, de forma online, por meio de um questionário sociodemográfico e da versão SWLS de Gouveia et al. (2009). Foi utilizada a análise fatorial confirmatória para avaliar a estrutura unidimensional da escala usando o método de extração Robust Diagonally Weighted Least Squares (RDWLS). O modelo unidimensional SWLS apresentou um bom ajuste dos dados (χ2 = 1.906 / df = 5; p = 0.86; CFI = 1.000; SRMR = 0.019; RMSEA = 0.000 [90% IC : 0.000 – 0.042] e consistência interna adequada Ômega do McDonald's (0,88) e boa confiabilidade composta (0,88) . Além disso, a invariância fatorial entre gênero, deficiência, esportes e nível de competição foi confirmada. A versão brasileira da SWLS em atletas paralímpicos apresentou propriedades psicométricas satisfatórias e pode ser utilizada para mensurar a satisfação com a vida no contexto paralímpico.

The Prevalence of Cardiovascular Diseases in Paralympic Athletes.

Paralympic participants represent a special subset of athletes. Although sudden cardiac death in this group is a rare event, it should be underlined that, in particular, Paralympians with movement restrictions have a higher prevalence of coronary heart disease. Numerous reports have focused on comparing athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) and the ones with non-spinal cord injury-NSCI. The first group is more prone to develop arrhythmias, arterial hypertension, hyperlipidaemia including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, and this group potentially may have a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. In ECGs of the disabled athletes with SCI, we more often find changes typically established as consequences of exercise training, such as T-wave inversions. The potential differences in the cardiovascular status of disabled athletes may depend not only on the class of impairment, but also on the discipline of sport and environmental conditions, which makes the analysis relatively complex. The paper analyses up-to-date articles discussing the cardiovascular problems in disabled athletes, pointing to scarce data in several fields of interest. Previous studies on the frequency of abnormalities of the cardiovascular system in Paralympic athletes highlighted the need to intensify preventive cardiology care for this group of athletes, and some activities could be proposed for sportsmen and sportswomen in this group, including more frequent screening ECG, application of 24 h ECG Holter monitoring, echocardiography and cardiological care. Due to the relatively few data available and existing discrepancies in this area, further research is necessary.

The Emergence of the Pandemic: High-Performance Coach and Athlete Experiences.

The current study explored coach and athlete reactions and challenges leading up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, with a specific focus on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Games' postponement. Nine Australian Paralympic coaches (n = 3) and athletes (n = 6) shared their experiences in semistructured interviews. The thematic analysis highlighted how participants experienced the emergence of the pandemic in different ways, but all were relieved when the late but eventual decision to postpone the Games was made. Regarding lockdown periods (i.e.,social-distancing restrictions), some coaches and athletes thrived under the new reality (i.e.,training from home, online coaching) while others had more difficulty adjusting. Furthermore, results highlight the many uncertainties still remaining, which continue to influence participants' sport and personal lives. The experiences of coaches and athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic sheds light on strategies and resources that could support Paralympic coaches and athletes during current and future crises.

Coach and Athlete Perspectives on Talent Transfer in Paralympic Sport.

Research pertaining to the experiences and motives of Paralympic athletes who transfer between sports is scant. This study aimed to address this gap through semistructured interviews with Canadian Paralympic coaches (n = 35) and athletes (n = 12). Three higher-order themes of "alternative to retirement," "career extension," and "compatibility" were identified. The subthemes of "psychobehavioral" and "physical and physiological" (from the higher-order theme of alternative to retirement) captured reasons leading to transfer, which are similar to reasons athletes may consider retirement. The subthemes of career extension-"better opportunities" and "beneficial outcomes"-shed light on factors that contributed to the withdrawal of negative experiences and reinforcement of positive outcomes associated with transferring sports. Last, compatibility had three subthemes of "resources," "sport-specific," and "communication," which encapsulated factors athletes should consider prior to their transfer. In conclusion, the participants highlighted the importance of transparent and effective communication between athletes and sports to align and establish realistic expectations for everyone involved.

"The show must go on": How Paralympic athletes safeguarded their mental well-being and motivation to train for the postponed Tokyo 2020 games.

After the decision to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes had to adjust to a novel situation with feelings of uncertainty and insecurity. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study was the first to examine whether different motivational profiles among Paralympic athletes can be identified, and to link these profiles with the athletes' emotional, cognitive, and performance-related outcomes in times of a pandemic. Five months before the start of the Paralympic Games, the participants (N = 32; mean age = 33.2 ± 6.8 years) completed an online questionnaire measuring their demographics, basic psychological needs, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, general well-being, and motivational self-regulation strategies. Two months after the Games, they completed a second online questionnaire measuring their actual and perceived performance at the past Games. Through K-means cluster analysis, three distinct clusters were identified based on the athletes' dominant type of motivation, these are, dominantly amotivated (n = 11), autonomously motivated (n = 12), and controlled motivated (n = 9). Comparisons of athletes' emotional, cognitive, and performance-related outcomes depending on their motivational profile revealed that the athletes with a dominantly amotivated profile had the least adaptive outcomes (i.e., low need satisfaction, high need frustration, and more depressive symptoms). Athletes with a dominantly autonomously motivated profile made less use of controlling self-motivating strategies compared to the other two profiles. Moreover, their actual performance at the Paralympic Games was better. Although none of the athletes were at severe risk for depression or showed extremely high levels of stress, these results confirm that improving the quality of athletes' motivation can safeguard their well-being and enhance performance in Paralympic Sports.

Olympic and Paralympic athletes’ perceptions of the Canadian sport environment and mental health

ABSTRACT While athletes can experience poor mental health, researchers often focuses on the personal factors that impact an athlete’s mental health. Such a narrow focus neglects the broader contextual factors, such as involvement within sport systems, that can impact athlete mental health. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to understand how elite sport training environments in Canada impact the mental health of athletes. Methods: Team Canada Olympic and Paralympic athletes (n = 32) from team and individual sports (water polo, basketball, rowing, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, and field hockey) each participated in one semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Athletes identified environmental features that supported and detracted from their mental health, including: the provision of resources, social support, performance pressure, communication, language, and coaching. These features impacted athletes’ mental health experiences by influencing their perceptions of stigma, their perceptions of mental health as an organisational priority, their help-seeking behaviours, and the minimisation of their personal experiences. Discussion: Uncertainty and a lack of control were common features of the environment contributing to athletes’ perceptions of stress and negatively impacted their wellbeing, as did a lack of trust in support providers and negative coaching practices. While some environmental features impacted athletes’ mental health directly, many had an indirect impact on athletes’ mental health (e.g. led to the minimisation of personal mental health challenges). Identifying ways to enhance athlete autonomy and educate coaches about mental health and supportive coaching practices are important directions for future research and practice.

Comparative analysis of self-realization and motivation of athletes depending on their professional qualifications

In Kazakhstan, the issues of sports development are taken under special control, with a fairly large number of instructions, one of which is related to the revision of approaches to the training of profes-sional athletes. The study examines the motivational profile of athletes, resilience as the creation of motivation for transformational coping and various attitudes and aspects of self-realization. 180 athletes took part in the study: 60 professional athletes, 60 amateur athletes and 60 Para-lympic athletes. Psychodiagnostic measurements were carried out using four diagnostic techniques: V.I.Tropnikov's method of studying the motives of sports activity; E.A. Kalinin's questionnaire "Motives of Sports Activity" (MSD); S.Maddi's resilience test, adaptation by D.A. Leontiev and E.I. Rasskazova; S.I. Kudinov's multidimensional questionnaire of self-realization of personality. The results of our research have shown that the level of sports qualification has an impact on the formation of sports motivation and self-realization. The motivational profile of professional athletes cor-responds to the model of motivation of a high-class athlete, in the groups of amateur athletes and Paralympic athletes, the hierarchy of motives is similar, but their energy content is lower. The revealed differences made it possible to detect aspects that require attention from coaches and sports psycholo- gists, primarily related to a drop in the level of motivation among high-class MS and MSMC athletes and rigidity of resilience among Paralympic athletes. As for self-realization, its overall level is not high, and the level of professional self-realization in sports is extremely low in all three groups. Key words: motivation, motivational profile, types and aspects of self-realization, resilience.

Factors Influencing the Training Process of Paralympic Women Athletes.

(1) Background: Paralympic women athletes in their training process go through a series of interrelated stages which are parallel to their evolutionary development, during which a wide variety of psychological, social, and biological factors will have an impact. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors influencing the sports training process of Spanish Paralympic women athletes (social, sporting, psychological, technical-tactical factors, physical condition, as well as barriers and facilitators) who had won at least one medal (gold, silver, or bronze) in the 21st century Paralympic Games (from Sydney 2000 to Tokyo 2020). (2) Methods: The research involved 28 Spanish Paralympic women athletes who had won at least one medal at a Paralympic Games in the 21st century. An interview of 54 questions grouped into 6 dimensions (sport context, social context, psychological, technical-tactical, physical fitness, and barriers and facilitators) was used. (3) Results: Coaches, as well as families, were essential in the sport development of Paralympic athletes. In addition, most women athletes recognized that psychological aspects were of vital importance, as well as working on technical-tactical aspects and physical fitness in an integrated way. Finally, the Paralympic women athletes highlighted that they had to face numerous barriers, mainly financial challenges and issues with visibility in the media. (4) Conclusions: Athletes consider it necessary to work with specialists to control emotions, increase motivation and self-confidence, as well as to reduce stress and anxiety and manage pressure. Finally, the training process and sporting performance of Paralympic women athletes are conditioned by several barriers, including economic, social, architectural, and disability barriers. These considerations can be taken into account by the technical teams working with Paralympic women athletes, as well as by the competent bodies, to improve the sports training process of these athletes.

“They Don’t Really Care about my Results, they Prefer Selling my Life Story.” Inspirational Paralympians and Sponsorship

This article intends to analyze the links that Paralympic athletes and their staff members establish between the Paralympic athletes’ self-presentation as cyborgs or supercrips and their access to sponsors. Based on an interview survey of 15 Paralympic athletes and 42 members of their staffs, we will show that not all Paralympic athletes can be associated with inspirational cyborg or supercrip figures. Indeed, according to the Paralympic athletes and staff members interviewed, some discriminating criteria prevail for sponsors in their attribution of sponsorship contracts. Some Paralympic athletes report numerous situations in which they are perceived and presented in a miserabilist perspective of pity remote from any sponsorship perspective. We will then analyze the ableist dimension of the intelligibility frameworks through which Paralympic athletes claim to be recognized by sponsors. Finally, we will show how this type of recognizability continues to exclude and invisibilize Paralympic athletes who are the least inspiring for non-disabled people. Therefore, it appears that there are inequalities between Paralympic athletes in their access to sponsors according to the inspiration they arouse in non-disabled people.

Inescapable tensions: performance and/or psychological well-being in Olympic and Paralympic athletes during sport disruption

Keywords: performance narrativeathlete well-beingeudaimoniapsychological well-beingeudaimonic well-being

Effect of concurrent training in unilateral transtibial amputees using Paralympic athletes as a control group

ContextTranstibial Amputation (TA) predisposes to a sedentary lifestyle. ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficiency of a short-term (8-week) Concurrent Training (CT) program in Unilateral Transtibial Amputees (UTA) and to compare it with the physical condition of a group of Paralympic athletes in preparation for the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics. DesignThis was a longitudinal, prospective and controlled trial study. MethodsThirty-four male subjects with UTA and using prostheses for six months or more were selected for this study. They were divided into two groups: Group 1 (G1) ‒ 17 non-athlete and untrained UTA and Group 2 (G2) ‒ 17 paralympic athletes with active UTA in the training phase. G1 was evaluated before and after eight weeks of CT and G2 made a single evaluation for control. All were submitted to anamnesis, clinical evaluation (blood pressure, electrocardiogram, and heart rate) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a lower limb cycle ergometer, and isokinetic knee dynamometry. The CT of G1 included resistance exercise and aerobic interval training on a stationary bicycle and G2 followed the training of the Paralympic teams. ResultsPatients were retested by the same methods after CT. The two most important central dependent variables (maximal oxygen uptake and muscular strength) increased by 22% and knee extensor and flexor strength by 106% and 97%, respectively. ConclusionAfter eight weeks of CT, there was an improvement in general functional condition, muscle strength, and cardiorespiratory performance improving protection against chronic diseases and quality of life.

The role of the expert information-analytical system as a tool for developing the psychology of adaptive sport

The article presents the features and details of the psychological preparation of Paralympic athletes that a specialist psychologist needs to know - the regulatory requirements of federal standards for sports training, the rules of sports, the differences between the competitive Olympic model and the Paralympic model, the division of sports according to nosological features. The need for a wider information support of Paralympic sports as the most difficult to understand and subsequent development of psychological support programs substantiated. It is shown that an expert information-analytical system that allows access to reference materials is an indisputable tool in the development of the system of sports training for Paralympic athletes and, in particular, the psychology of adaptive sports.