2013 Paralympic Leadership ConferenceClassification 201 - How a Better Understanding of the Classification Process & Data can Bring Greater Success to your Athletes

Classification 201

Classification 201: How a Better Understanding of the Classification Process and Data can Bring Greater Success to your Athletes

West Wing Conference CenterPresenter: Julie O’Neill, U.S. Olympic Committee/U.S.

ParalympicsClassification education is an ongoing function of the Sport Performance Division of the USOC – both the education and training of classifiers and sharing of information with coaches, athletes, program managers, and the like. Coaches and Program Managers who gain a better understanding of the general premises of Paralympic sport classification are often better equipped to coach, teach, and support their athletes more effectively due to a greater understanding of the impairment, better knowledge of the overall classification process and procedures, and ability to understand basic medical data to evaluate what the athlete truly can and cannot do in a sport setting.

Classification 201

What is Classification?

Classification is undertaken to ensure that an Athlete’s impairment is relevant to sport performance (2.1.1)

Classification has two important roles (2.1.2):

• To determine eligibility to compete

• To group athletes for competition

Classification is the process by which athletes are assessed by reference to the impact of impairment on their ability to

compete in a specific sport.

Classification is quite simply the structure for competition.

International Classification Code

Classification 201

Classification is a structure for competition…Paralympic athletes have an impairment in body structures and functions that leads to a competitive disadvantage in sport. Consequently, criteria are put in place to ensure that winning is determined by skill, fitness, power, endurance, tactical ability and mental focus, the same factors that account for success in sport for athletes who are able-bodied.

Classification is the process by which athletes are assessed by reference to the impact of impairment on their ability to compete in a specific sport.

HISTORY… Impairment Based ( - 1988) Functional (1992 - 2010) Code Compliant (2010 +)

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International Classification Code (the “Code”)The Code outlines policies and procedures that are to be

addressed and included within all sports’ classification rules by the respective sport IF (International Federation).

Protests & AppealsClassifier EducationAthlete EvaluationSport Class Status

AllocationMaster List

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Impairment Groups in Paralympic Movement…

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) – includes Spina BifidaCerebral Palsy (CP) – includes TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury / Stroke)

Amputee (Dysmelia)Les Autres

Blind / Visual ImpairmentIntellectual Impairment

Classification 201

Athlete Evaluation

• Sport classes are determined by a variety of processes: Physical Evaluation / Assessment Technical Evaluation / Assessment Observation during Competition

• Sport classes are defined by the sport and form part of the sport’s international rules.

Classification Rules vs. Technical Rules• Classification is an ongoing process. When an athlete starts competing, they are

allocated a sport class that may be reviewed throughout the athlete's career. National International classification “pipeline”

• Sports certify individuals to conduct the process of classification and these officials are known as “classifiers”.

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Athlete EvaluationMedical Diagnosis

Impairment Category – Diagnosis – DetailsExamples:

SCI – T10 – completeCP – hemiplegia – RVI – albinismLes Autres – dwarfism - achondroplasia

Physical Assessment Based on medical diagnosis / single or multiple evaluation protocols

Technical Assessment Training Observation Sport-specific Technical / Skills Assessment

Observation during Competition

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Impairments, Medical Diagnosis, Physical Evaluation… …application to coaching

• Muscle (power loss) 0 to 5 scale

• Coordination Balance

• Range of Motion

• Limb Loss Center of gravity

• Visual Impairment

• Intellectual Impairment Base criteria + sport specificity

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Physical Assessment

MUSCLE (POWER) TESTING SCALE0 - Total lack of voluntary contraction1 - Faint contraction without any movement of the limb (trace, flicker)2 - Contraction with very weak movement through full range of motion when gravity is eliminated (poor)3 - Contraction with movement through the complete joint range against gravity4 - Contraction with full range movement against gravity and some resistance (good)5 - Contraction of normal strength through full range of movement against full resistance

(Daniels and Worthingham 1980)

Impairments, Medical Diagnosis, Physical Evaluation… …application to coaching

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Physical Assessment

JOINT RANGE OF MOVEMENT

0 - No movement possible1 - Less than 25% movement possible2 - 25% range of movement possible3 - 50% range of movement possible4 - 75% range of movement possible5 - 100% range of movement possible

(Blomquist 1985)

Impairments, Medical Diagnosis, Physical Evaluation… …application to coaching

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Physical Assessment

COORDINATION ASSESSMENT (Scale)

0 - Activity impossible1 - Severe impairment; only able to initiate activity without completion2 - Severe impairment; able to accomplish the activity but in a very unorthodox way3 - Moderate impairment; able to accomplish the activity, movements are slow, awkward and unsteady4 - Minimal impairment; able to accomplish the activity with slightly less than normal speed and skill5 - Normal performance

(O’Sullivan, Cullen and Smith 1981)

Impairments, Medical Diagnosis, Physical Evaluation… …application to coaching

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KEY MUSCLE INNERVATION FOR SPINAL CORD LEVEL

Elbow Flexors C5Wrist Extensors C6Elbow Extensors C7Finger Flexors C8

Finger Adductors T1Abdominal Innervations Begins T6Abdominal Innervation Complete T12/L1

Hip Flexors L2Knee Extensors L3Ankle Dorisflexors L4Long Toe Extensors L5

Ankle Plantarflexors S1

** Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) – complete vs. incomplete **

Impairments, Medical Diagnosis, Physical Evaluation… …application to coaching

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Application of Classification Assessment Data

Knowledge of impairment / Evaluation scores & data coaching training technique skill development

balance

center of gravity

“I can’t”recovery

physiology

biomechanics

nutrition

learning styles

psychology

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Resources

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nternational Paralympic Committee (IPC)

International Classification Code

Paralympic Games Classification Guides

www.paralympic.org

U.S. Paralympics (NPC)

National Policy & Procedure documents

National SPORT Master Lists

www.usparalympics.org

Sport-specific rules/regulations/policies

IPC and IFs (International)

NGBs / NFs (National)