CRI Adaptive Rowing Project Post #1

Our class beginning to work with our community partner, Community Rowing, Inc. This first post is basically just me exploring adaptive rowing.

Adaptive Rowing Technologies: 

• FrontRower Rowing System: This is a system of pulleys and gears that allows the rower to row the boat with just their hands, just their feet, or their hands and feet together. The problem is that this system rows the boat forward, while we want the shell to row backwards, so we would need to reverse the system in order for it to be used in adaptive rowing. 

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o0SLJxzHq1I
• Fixed Seats: These are seats that do not slide like those in traditional boats, but are fixed in place so that rowers with limited leg mobility (AS-Arms and Shoulders, or TA-Trunk and Arms) maintain better balance. The rowers are strapped into these seats to prevent trunk movement, which makes capsizing much more dangerous.
• Pontoons: Stabilizing pontoons are attached to the riggers to help balance for rowers who cannot use their full lower bodies to stabilize the boat.

Project Ideas That I Am Most Interested In Pursuing:

• Improving the dock in terms of wheelchair access while still maintaining the integrity of the dock 
• Original Issue: "The lower dock floats and when the water is low, the angle is too steep for wheelchairs.  A secondary ramp has been installed, but is narrow, near the edge of the dock, and is damaging the wood at the intersection" (Amy Banzaert)
• Figuring out how rowers can become more independent in moving their rowing equipment
•  Original Issue: "Rowers currently need assistance bringing oars, pontoons, life jackets, and boats to the dock." (Amy Banzaert)
• Designing or improving adaptive devices for one-handing rowing
• Original Issue: "Adaptive devices for one-handed erging are of interest. They have been developed previously but there may be further opportunity." (Amy Banzaert)
• Improving boat balance for rowers with limited mobility, especially amputees
• Original Issue: "Balance is a challenge generally for rowers with limited mobility and particularly difficult for amputees with a center of mass off of the body's centerline.  Any solution would ideally be something the rower could carry and install him/herself." (Amy Banzaert)

Questions for CRI Coaches/Staff/Adaptive Rowers:

• What kinds of disabilities can you currently accommodate?
• Do you provide rowing opportunities for visually impaired people? If yes, how does that work?
• How do you accommodate people with back problems that prohibit them from leaning forward?
• Do you do team adaptive rowing or just individual adaptive rowing?
• How do you currently compensate for people with centers of mass that are not directly down their bodies (amputees, people with muscular atrophy in just one limb, people with one limb a different length from the other, etc.)? 
• How do you think the adaptive rowing process could be improved?

Sources:

• http://www.dezeen.com/2012/08/31/paralympic-design-adaptive-rowing-equipment/
• http://sites.temple.edu/mariakalishchentsovprofessionaltrpsychrt/2013/02/18/adaptive-rowing-video-using-the-front-rower-rowing-system-for-adapt-sport-recreation-leis-ser-sec001-class/
• http://www.frontrower.com/