An Adaptive Sport Taking People With Disablities to New Heights...Literally.
I have always been the type of person who will try anything once. My roommate wanted to go rock climbing at our student recreation center when I was a freshman in college. I was getting stronger so I thought I would be able to get halfway up the wall. I managed to get out of my chair, but I couldn't move my feet to climb to the next level. I sat back down in my chair and watched my roommate climb up the wall. I felt embarrassed and ashamed. I had a dream of climbing Mount Everest when I was younger. The idea of a person with a disability could do that seemed ridiculous.
Today I learned that there is an adaptive version of climbing. Paraclimbing clubs can help anyone climb. They have various techniques and harnesses to help people climb. There are also various types of rock climbing walls.
There is one technique called canvassing. The wheelchair user has a harness to hold their legs secure and the person only uses their arms to climb up the wall.
I was also surprised to find out that even if you cannot pull yourself up they have a climbing method for you. They have a harness chair that you can pull up the wall with a crank.
There are national competitions. Participants compete in categories according to their disability. Someone who is an amputee won't compete against someone who is a seated climber.
You don't necessarily have to compete. There are clubs in New York, Chicago, and Massachusetts. People can learn about Adaptive Climbing, and even try it out at these club meetings.
I have a horrible track record of sticking with sports. I always end up quitting because life gets in the way. I've always had a dream of climbing Mount Everest. Maybe one day there will be a Paraclimbing course I can tackle. It never hurts to try, and it seems like it would be a great workout.
Photo by OpenClipart-Vectors courtesy of Pixabay
Stephanie Wyatt has Cerebral Palsy and uses a manual wheelchair. She spends her free time hanging out with her best friend Carmen and her dog Ama Angelica.
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