Wheelchair rugby

Did you know that people with quadriplegia have their own wheelchair rugby sport?

Wheelchair rugby is a team sport for athletes with a disability. It is practiced in over twenty countries around the world and is a Paralympic sport.

Developed in Canada in 1977, the sport's original name was murderball. The United States name "quad rugby" is based on the fact that all wheelchair rugby players need to have disabilities that include at least some loss of function in at least three limbs—most are medically classified as quadriplegic.

Wheelchair rugby is played indoors on a hardwood court. The rules include elements of wheelchair basketball, ice hockey, handball and rugby union. It is a contact sport and physical contact between wheelchairs is an integral part of the game. It has little in common with Rugby football except for the name.

The sport is governed by the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) which was established in 1993.

And of course, Greece has its own National Wheelchair Rugby team..! Go boys..!

What is interesting for Physical Therapists that want to get into this field is that there is a special Functional Classification system by which each athlete gets a point based on his/her functional condition and then he can enter a team.

Classification is a unique and integral part of sport for persons with disabilities. The purpose of classification is to ensure fair and equitable competition at all levels of sport and to allow athletes to compete at the highest level, regardless of individual differences in physical function.

You can read more here.