title: Sports for the physically challenged child.
abstract: Participation in sports is important for the physical and emotional health of the physically challenged child. Sports can improve strength, endurance, and cardiopulmonary fitness while providing companionship, a sense of achievement, and heightened self-esteem. With interest in such participation increasing, it is necessary for the physicians, therapists, and families of children with special needs to understand the preparticipation evaluation, athletic options, specialized equipment, and sport-specific risks. Recommendations that provide guidelines for safe, effective participation in sports are currently available for common congenital and developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, myelodysplasia, hemophilia, congenital amputations, and arthritic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Wind
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Schwend
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Larson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013177:Sports