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In any sport deciding who should compete against whom
is always an issue. For example, in boxing we have division
by weight, in golf by handicap, in football by league
etc, in an effort to provide an equal opportunity, a level
playing field.
In sport for people with cerebral palsy this grouping
or classification is particularly important. Everybody
is unique, but none more so than those with cerebral palsy,
where it is virtually impossible to find two people with
identical impairment. Cerebral palsy has a specific medical
definition; it is congenital brain damage resulting in
locomotor dysfunction.
In general terms this means the muscles of movement are
affected causing difficulty with balance and co-ordination.
There are three main types of cerebral palsy:
One produces a tightness of muscles, which manifests
itself in difficulty in joint movement. This is referred
to as spastic cerebral palsy.
Another type is where the body is never at rest. There
is an inability to perform an isolated movement, any action
and all or parts of the rest of the body kicks in, eg
head and arm movement when speaking. This is athetoid
cerebral palsy.
Thirdly, and least commonly, is ataxic cerebral palsy,
where the body can be at rest, but any action causes a
jerky movement.
To be eligible for disability sport for people with cerebral
palsy a diagnosis of cerebral palsy is not, in itself,
sufficient. The impairment must be apparent without resort
to use of muscle testing equipment, scans etc. and the
impairment must impact on the performance of the chosen
sport.
From those whose impairment is apparent a system of eight
classes is used. Classes 1 - 4 are for those who use a
wheelchair for sport. It is a continuum, with class 1
for the athlete with the most impairment and class 4 for
the least affected wheelchair user.
In a little more detail:
Class 1 is for the most severely disabled. Individuals
who have to use an electric chair for independent mobility
and who will need assistance with daily living skills.
All four limbs will be severely affected.
Class 2 athletes often use an electric chair for preference,
as whilst they can propel a manual wheelchair, slopes,
uneven ground and distance will present problems. Again,
all four limbs will be affected, but some limited function
will be evident.
Class 3 is appropriate where the athlete can manipulate
a wheelchair, but will usually have some difficulty in
trunk range of movement and balance, affecting their wheelchair
mobility. At least one upper limb will be significantly
affected.
The athlete who presents with no functional limitation
of upper limbs, excellent wheelchair control and good
trunk mobility will be Class 4.
Classes 1 - 4 are a seated continuum. Classes 5, 6, 7
and 8 are for standing athletes. This section of classes
is not a continuum, each number denotes a particular style
of impairment.
Class 5 athlete's impairment affects them from the waist
down; both legs are affected but athletes compete in an
upright position.
Class 6 is relevant when all four limbs are affected.
Most commonly, but not exclusively this class of athletes
have uncontrolled movement.
Class 7 athletes also have half of their body affected,
but in this case it is one side (one arm and leg on the
same side).
Class 8 is the minimal impairment standing class.
There is a lot of unnecessary mystique about classification.
It is simply a system of elimination:
Do the athletes compete from a chair or in a standing
position?
Which limbs are affected?
How does this affect their sport?
Athletes should always be classified in their competition
chair if they use one, or with any other equipment they
use for their sport.
For a complete guide to classification consult the CP-ISRA
Rules Manual on the international website:
www.cpisra.org.
Cerebral Palsy International Sport and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA)
is the international sports organisation for athletes
with cerebral palsy, traumatic or acquired brain damage.
Swimming
At present CP Sport Swimming use
IPC classification at their swimming
competitions.
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