Adaptive Tennis is an accessible form of the game which enables individuals with various disabilities to participate. Players may use wheelchairs or even stand as they play – the choice is theirs!
Below is a selection of adaptive equipment available to facilitate participation in this exhilarating sport.
Rackets
Tennis can be enjoyed in various environments and with various adaptive equipment options. Some people with disabilities have modified their wheelchairs specifically for this sport; even standard sport chairs can be used. Rackets designed specifically to assist those with various disabilities in hitting the ball more effectively are another useful piece of adaptive equipment.
The Head Graphene Touch Radical Adaptive tennis racket is an ultralight tennis racket that delivers plenty of power on the court. Constructed of full graphite material and featuring HEAD Innegra technology to absorb shock on impact for increased comfort and control on contact, this racket ensures maximum success on any playing surface.
This racquet is ideal for recreational adult players and developing juniors looking for an all-around performance racquet. The optional Adaptive Tuning Kit allows them to customize the specifications to meet their playing style; with light/heavy grommet sets available as well as extra spacer rings and up to half inch shaft length adjustments available in this kit.
Pride Mobility’s X-Series Adjustable Grasping Cuff provides an easy and intuitive solution for getting a good grip on a racquet when using a power wheelchair. This cuff fits snugly over the handle, lined with durable Dycem material that secures it to keep racquet in place; additionally it comes equipped with a strap connecting directly to wheelchair so user can secure arm securely with minimal effort; available in different colors to complement player’s wheelchair color; can even be used when standing up from the chair when using regular racquet when possible!
Balls
Tennis is an easily adaptable sport for athletes with disabilities, including blindness and vision impairments. Individuals of various disabilities can play tennis; it can even be enjoyed by blind individuals who use special balls with double bounce capabilities to accommodate for individual player needs such as shortening courts and using larger balls that can allow twice bounce back into play for wheelchair users.
Blind or visually-impaired players can gain the knowledge necessary to judge the direction and height of a ball through various drills. One such drill involves having adaptive athletes partner up and place the ball between parallel racquets on either side of them – with their goal being to pass it past one another without dropping it – for practice in spatial awareness and visual discrimination.
Other than altering the size of the ball, tennis can also be modified for individuals with disabilities through adaptations such as shorter nets and lowered net height. Furthermore, special racquets designed to make gripping easier may come equipped with wider gripping surfaces and other gripping aids to make holding them simpler.
There are various recreational and competitive wheelchair tennis programs, both recreational and competitive. While some programs welcome all players regardless of physical ability, others cater specifically to wheelchair users with medically diagnosed mobility-related disabilities. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Houston hosts an adaptive tennis program which uses regulation courts but modifies them slightly to suit wheelchair players, for example allowing double bounce balls on racquets used by those with disabilities.
Grip Devices
Grip strength is an integral component of tennis, so grippers and hand strengtheners are frequently tailored to accommodate different types of players. For instance, an attachment that fits onto a wheelchair may allow quad players to hit with consistent force and speed while at the same time increasing wrist stability for greater arm protection against potential injuries.
There are various kinds of grippers available today, each one more complex than the next. A coil strengthener gripper has two handles connected by an inflexible metal coil that tightens when squeezed to tighten and release its original position after each squeeze repetition – examples being IronMind and Kootek grippers. Other devices use spring-based mechanisms where tension/length of spring determine how difficult it is to squeeze, while articulated grippers allow each finger to be squeezed individually for increased finger mobility.
Enhancing grip strength can help alleviate pain caused by arthritis and other conditions in the hands and fingers, and increase dexterity which is essential for performing tasks with one’s hands and fingers, such as musicians, hairdressers, typists and masons. Furthermore, building grip strength may help alleviate stress as it activates muscles in both hand and wrist to release tension and keep you active!
Digital grip trainers connect to a mobile app for real-time feedback and customized training sessions, offering more intensive workouts that provide real-time feedback and personalized training sessions. While these devices may cost more, they provide an integrated approach that can increase overall hand and forearm strength.
Arm and Leg Prosthetics
After amputating an arm or leg, specialized prosthetic devices may help restore their previous level of activity. These may be passive, body-powered or electrically powered devices such as hooks or hands with gripping power of up to 30 pounds as well as myoelectric controls which respond to nerve signals originating in remaining fingers and thumb.
Amputees now have access to prosthetic devices that become part of their skeleton through osseointegration technology, like Integrum AB’s e-OPRA arm which anchors onto bone post amputation for natural movement and natural control of shoulder, elbow wrist and hand prostheses. Another such example is LUKE arm with its advanced gyroscopic sensors to sense direction movement as well as coordinate control of shoulder elbow wrist hand of prosthesis.
Otto Bock C-Leg monocentric sports knee joints offer runners and sprinters who engage in running or jogging the advantage of a swiveling motion which reduces swing phase for improved speed and stamina.
Prosthetic knees equipped with locking mechanisms may also prove helpful to athletes, preventing the knee from unintentionally giving way during running and offering special benefit for transfemoral above-knee amputations.
If you are planning to return to recreational activity after an amputation, our professionals can offer guidance regarding the appropriate prosthetic options that can help you reach your goals. In addition, they may suggest working with a physical therapist on exercises designed to prepare the body for your chosen activity.
Wheelchairs
Adaptive wheelchairs open up a world of physical activities for adaptive sports enthusiasts, providing fitness and recreation with minimal strain or risk. Though everyday wheelchairs may suffice for beginners, serious tennis players require specific sports chairs designed for court sports; these sport chairs can be personalized according to each player’s specific needs – including frame height, seat angle, footplates, front caster outriggers and backrests; further accessories are also available to enhance performance such as anti-tip bars and front wheel drives.
Athletic tape and Ace bandage wraps are available as grip devices for players with limited or no ability to create horizontal arm movements, as are orthopedic racquet holders and “grasping gloves”. Arm prosthetics may also be modified so as to allow players to hold onto their racquet. In addition, courts themselves must be tailored specifically to wheelchair players; some courts feature special surfaces textured for improved grip while others provide ramps or other features to increase accessibility.
Power soccer and hockey, for instance, utilize electric wheelchairs equipped with modified footplate bumpers designed to “kick” the ball. These protective measures protect both wheelchair components and player bodies while making these high-contact sports more inclusive to people of varying disabilities. Other adaptations may also be made to existing chairs to facilitate better court coverage or make them lighter and aerodynamic for speed – changes which may make a huge difference in terms of level of play for disabled individuals.