Hula Hooping Our Way to the End

                It is finally time for my last blog, and I was given quite the fun class period to blog about. We had a senior Therapeutic Recreation student come talk to us about her love for hooping and how she hopes to use it therapeutically in the future. Hooping is the art of hula hooping being put to use for either a fun form of recreation, or a spiritual, therapeutic escape. She told us her story and how she got into Therapeutic Recreation and then how she got interested in hula hooping.  After giving us some background about herself and the hobby, she showed us a few videos about the hula hooping life. These videos and her stories showed how the hobby can be beneficial and used for much more than just a simple talent. For some people, they even consider it a way of life, like the people in the “Hula Hoping Life” video.

                We then were taught how to make our own hula hoops with tubing, attachment pieces, and duck tape.  We measured the tubing to how big we wanted our hoop to be, then cut it and put the two ends on either side of the attachment piece. We then blow dried them for 2-3 minutes, loosening up the rubber tubing and allowing us to shape them and push them into the attachment pieces more easily. After that, it was time to decorate! We could pick any color duck tape or design and decorate them however we pleased.  Once we were done, we got to put our hula hooping skills to the test and all went outside to hula hoop! It was easier than I thought it would be, yet challenging enough and surprisingly a good work out!

                Hula hooping seems like a simple toy and activity. After this final class however, we learned the secret benefits behind the hobby and how it could be used in Therapeutic Recreation. Hooping has many great aspects to it, including the use of coordination and skill, a good, yet not too strenuous work out, a connection of the mind and body, and of course, a fun time! Someone hooping could express themselves with making and decorating their hoop, relieve stress by letting their mind drift as they hoop, and even have a spiritual experience if they wish! This is definitely an innovative activity that isn’t seen very often, but never the less, a great intervention that a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist can keep in mind! 

Water skiing for the Disabled!

With summer on my mind, for my final extra blog activity, I decided to center on a summer activity and research waterskiing for the disabled. I found a few helpful websites and they explained that there are several different types of waterskiing for both able bodied people and those with a disability. For both able bodied participants and those with a disability, the equipment is similar. You need either water-skis or a wake board, rope to hold on to that attaches to a boat, and some sort of motor boat or device. A rope is attached to the back of the boat and the skier hold the handle on the other end. As the boat starts up and takes off, the skier waits until it pulls them and holds on, trailing behind the boat on their skies. There are many adaptations for people with disabilities to still be able to water ski. There are boards that allow people to sit ski who may be paralyzed from the waist down or have other physical disabilities that prevent them from standing. These have a metal-framed cage for the person to sit in with a canvas sling to help with balance and mobility. There are prosthetics called “ski legs” for people with single leg amputations and the person can either use two skis or put both legs on one, wider ski. There is also something called a Delgar sling for people who may not be able to use one of their arms. It is a sling that wraps around their good shoulder, passes behind the back, and attaches to the handle of the rope. If the skier was to fall, the end of the handle pops off so the boat does not drag the fallen skier.

                Supervision should be present when people are water skiing and some precautions should be made before someone goes out on the water and starts skiing. Participants first of all should know how to swim and be aware of water safety. Participants should also wear a lifejacket at all times in case of a fall and for when they start and stop in the water. People must also pass a water safety test in order to ski and should have their strength and abilities assessed in order to be matched to proper equipment and meet their individual goals. Participants should also have the strength to be able to turn themselves over from a face down position in the water to their back side in case they were to tip or fall.

Water skiing is an active sport that may require some practice, but after awhile, I think it would be very beneficial for people with disabilities. It gives them a challenge and something to work on and excel in, challenging them both physically and mentally. People sometimes have the idea that people with disabilities cannot participate in active sports anymore and become much less active. This activity can break that stereotype and give people a fun, thrilling form of recreation that can clear their minds and give them a challenge. It can be great for people with physical disabilities such as those who may be paralyzed or have an amputation. It can also be participated in by people with visual or hearing impairments and helps people become empowered with their ability to succeed, despite their disability. Recreation is beneficial for everybody and getting people out on the water on a nice day can boost somebody’s spirits and self esteem. If participants are knowledgeable in the water and have proper equipment and supervision, they are all set to participate in a fun, rewarding activity such as waterskiing!

http://www.dsusa.org/challmagarchive/summer06/challmag-sum06-WWDSPadaptiveSkiing.html

http://waterski.about.com/library/weekly/aa011098.htm