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A3 (classification)

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A3 is an amputee sport classification used by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD) for people with acquired or congenital amputations.

Sports people in this class are eligible to participate in include athletics, swimming, sitting volleyball, archery, weightlifting

Definition

This class is for people who have both legs amputated below knee. [1] This classification is sometimes abbreviated as B/K.[2]

Performance

Because of the potential for balance issues related to having an amputation, during weight training, amputees are encouraged to use a spotter when lifting more than 15 pounds (6.8 kg).[1]

People in this class can have a number of problems with their gait.  There are a number of different causes for these issues, and suggested ways to modify them.  For a gait that has abrupt heel contact, the cause can be excessive heel lever.  This can be fixed by realigning their prosthetic foot.  For jerky knee motions, the cause could be a loose socket in the knee or inadequate suspension.  In that case, the socket might need replacing or they may need to realign the prosthesis.  If they have prolonged heel contact, the cause could be problems with the heel lever in their prosthesis or a worn out heel.  These are fixed by increasing heel stiffness or realigning the prosthesis. In some cases, prolong heel contact or knees remaining fulling extended is a problem with training in how to use the prosthesis.  Another issue might be foot drag.  This can be caused by an ill fitting prosthesis that can be fixed by shortening the length of the prosthesis.  Some people in this class could have uneven length strides.  This can be a result of problems with hip flexion or insecurity about their walk.  Both are fixed by physical therapy.[3]

Governance

This classification was set up by ISOD, with the current version adopted in 1992 and then modified in 1993.[4][5] IWAS was created following the merger of ISOD and International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF) in 2005. Subsequently, IWAS became the classification governing body for some amputee sports.[6][7]

In a few cases for wheelchair events run by IWAS, CP-ISRA parallel classes may be used to allow wheelchair using amputees to compete in these events. In the case of A3, this means that CP4 sportspeople from CP-ISRA may be in their class.[8]

Sports

Athletics

See also: T43 (classification) and F58 (classification)

For athletics competitions that use the IPC athletics classification system, this class competes in T43, F43 and F58.[9][1][10]

People in this class use a prosthetic limb when competing in athletics. It has three parts: a socket, a shank and a foot.[1] Double amputees have difficulty using a starting block in track events because they cannot align their legs with the block in the standard way.  They often use different starting positions as a result.[1]

Historically, because of low participation rates in men's T43 races, the class has been combined with the T44 class. The combined class was then called T44 and included both single and double below the knee amputees. There was a push in 2008 to avoid this happening because of a perception that double below knee amputees had a competitive advantage compared to single below knee amputees.[10][11][12] Subsequent research related to results for men at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London confirmed this to be the case for both the 200 meters and 400 meters.[10] Double below the knee amputees also have a competitive advantage when compared to double above the knee amputees.[10]

A study of was done comparing the performance of athletics competitors at the 1984 Summer Paralympics.  It found there was no significant difference in performance in times between women in A1, A2 and A3 in the discus, women in A2 and A3 in the discus, women in A3 and A4 in the javelin, women in A2 and A3 in the shot put, women in A2, A3 and A4 in the long jump, women in A2 and A3 in the 100 meter race, men in A1, A2 and A3 in the discus, men in the A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A9 in the discus, men in A2, A3 and A4  in the discus, men in A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A9 in the javelin, men in A2, A3 and A4 in the javelin, men in A1, A2 and A3 in the shot put, men in A2, A3 and A4 in the shot put, men in A2, A3 and A4 in the high jump, men in A2 and A3 in the 100 meter race, men in A1, A2, A3 and A4 in the 400 meter race, and men in A2 and A3 in the 400 meter race.[13]

From the 2004 Summer Paralympics to the 2012 Summer Paralympics, there was no significant changes in performance times put up by male sprinters in 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter events.[10]

In the late 2000s, research suggested that in athletics running events, double below the knee amputees could have a competitive advantage when running against their able-bodied counterparts because their prostheses provide a competitive advantage. [10][11] Subsequent research related to results for men at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London confirmed this to be the case.[10]

When CP4 athletes who are world record holders in their class have been put into a parallel athletics class with amputee athletes from this class because of comparable disability types, they have under-performed.[8]

In general, track athletes with amputations should be considerate of the surface they are running on, and avoid asphalt and cinder tracks.[1]

Swimming

Main articles: Para-swimming classification, S4 (classification), and S5 (classification)

People with amputations are eligible to compete in swimming at the Paralympic Games.[14][15] A3 swimmers may be found in several classes. These include S5, S7, and S8.[16]

Prior to the 1990s, this class was often grouped with other amputee classes in swimming competitions, including the Paralympic Games.[13]

A study of was done comparing the performance of swimming competitors at the 1984 Summer Parlympics.  It found there was no significant difference in peformance in times between men and women in A2 and A3 in the 50 meter breastroke, men and women in A2 and A3 in the 50 meter freestyle, men and women in A2, A3 and A4 in the 25 meter butterfly, and men in A2 and A3 in the 50 meter backstroke.[13]

Other sports

Main article: Sitting volleyball classification

Other sports people in this class are eligible to compete in include sitting volleyball, archery, weightlifting .[2][13]

In both archery and sitting volleyball, different classes of amputees have historically competed against each other as one class for people with amputations or people who have a minimal disability level.[2][13] In the case of weightlifting, amputees have also traditionally been grouped together, with divisions being based on weight instead.[13]

Competitors

One of the most famous competitors in this class is Oscar Pistorious. He has set world records in the 200 meters in athletics.[2]

Becoming classified

The ISOD classification systems takes several things into account when putting people into this class.  These includes which limbs are effected, how many limbs are effected, and how much of a limb is missing.[17][18]

For this class, classification generally has four phase. The first stage of classification is a health examination. For amputees, this is often done on site at a sports training facility or competition. The second stage is observation in practice, the third stage is observation in competition and the last stage is assigning the sportsperson to a relevant class.[19] Sometimes the health examination may not be done on site because the nature of the amputation could cause not physically visible alterations to the body. This is especially true for lower limb amputees as it relates to how their limbs align with their hips and the impact this has on their spine and how their skull sits on their spine.[20]

For this class, classification is often based on the anatomical nature of the amputation.[21][22]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Classification 101". Blaze Sports. Blaze Sports. June 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Pasquina, Paul F.; Cooper, Rory A. (2009-01-01). Care of the Combat Amputee. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160840777.
  3. ^ DeLisa, Joel A.; Gans, Bruce M.; Walsh, Nicholas E. (2005-01-01). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Principles and Practice. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 9780781741309.
  4. ^ "Classification 101". Blaze Sports. Blaze Sports. June 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  5. ^ Tweedy, Sean M. (2002). "Taxonomic Theory and the ICF: Foundations for a Unified Disability Athletics Classification" (PDF). ADAPTED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY QUARTERLy. 19: 220–237. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  6. ^ DePauw, Karen P. and Gavron, Susan J. (2005) Disability Sport. Human Kinetics Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7360-4638-1 (Google Books)
  7. ^ Pasquina, Paul F.; Cooper, Rory A. (2009-01-01). Care of the Combat Amputee. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160840777.
  8. ^ a b Howe, P. David; Jones, Carwyn (2006). "Classifi cation of Disabled Athletes: (Dis)Empowering the Paralympic Practice Community" (PDF). Sociology of Sport Journal. 23: 29–46.
  9. ^ "CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY". Queensland Sport. Queensland Sport. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Hassani, Hossein; Ghodsi, Mansi; Shadi, Mehran; Noroozi, Siamak; Dyer, Bryce (2015-06-16). "An Overview of the Running Performance of Athletes with Lower-Limb Amputation at the Paralympic Games 2004–2012". Sports. 3 (2): 103–115. doi:10.3390/sports3020103.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  11. ^ a b Zettler, P. Is It Cheating to Use Cheetahs? The Implications of Technologically Innovative Prostheses for Sports Value and Rules; Stanford Law School: Stanford, CA, USA, 2009.
  12. ^ Dyer, B. An Insight into the Acceptable Use & Assessment of Lower-Limb Running Prostheses in Disability Sport. Ph.D. Thesis, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK, 2013.
  13. ^ a b c d e f van Eijsden-Besseling, M. D. F. (1985). "The (Non)sense of the Present-Day Classification System of Sports for the Disabled, Regarding Paralysed and Amputee Athletes" (PDF). Paraplegia. 23. International Medical Society of Paraplegia. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  14. ^ Broad, Elizabeth (2014-02-06). Sports Nutrition for Paralympic Athletes. CRC Press. ISBN 9781466507562.
  15. ^ "Get Into Sports" (PDF). Paralympics GB. Paralympics GB. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  16. ^ Tim-Taek, Oh; Osborough, Conor; Burkett, Brendan; Payton, Carl (2015). "Consideration of Passive Drag in IPC Swimming Classification System" (PDF). VISTA Conference. International Paralympic Commitee. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  17. ^ Tweedy, Sean M. (2002). "Taxonomic Theory and the ICF: Foundations for a Unified Disability Athletics Classification" (PDF). ADAPTED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY QUARTERLy. 19: 220–237. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  18. ^ International Sports Organization for the Disabled. (1993). Handbook. Newmarket, ON: Author. Available Federacion Espanola de Deportes de Minusvalidos Fisicos, c/- Ferraz, 16 Bajo, 28008 Madrid, Spain.
  19. ^ Tweedy, Sean M.; Beckman, Emma M.; Connick, Mark J. (August 2014). "Paralympic Classification: Conceptual Basis, Current Methods, and Research Update" (PDF). Paralympic Sports Medicine and Science. 6 (85). Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  20. ^ Gilbert, Keith; Schantz, Otto J.; Schantz, Otto (2008-01-01). The Paralympic Games: Empowerment Or Side Show?. Meyer & Meyer Verlag. ISBN 9781841262659.
  21. ^ Pasquina, Paul F.; Cooper, Rory A. (2009-01-01). Care of the Combat Amputee. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160840777.
  22. ^ DeLisa, Joel A.; Gans, Bruce M.; Walsh, Nicholas E. (2005-01-01). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Principles and Practice. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 9780781741309.


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