CHAPTER THREE ADAPTIVE SKI EQUIPMENT AND TEACHING TOOLS VISAS has a significant variety of Adaptive ski equipment and teaching tools available to our instructors. You must have a thorough knowledge of all our adaptive equipment and its use to ensure a safe and enjoyable ski experience for your student. Specific details concerning when, where and how to use the many teaching tools can be found with each discipline Adaptive Ski Equipment - Outriggers are forearm crutches that take the place of ski poles. The length is adjustable and they are equipped with forward or side opening cuff, a handle, and light weight ski tips mounted at the base. There is a string/spring mechanism that allows the ski tip to flip up into a walking crutch position when not skiing. When flipped up the outriggers are useful for walking, turning on the flats (sitski), rising from a fall, and loading onto a chairlift. Outriggers are used by standup skiers and sitting skiers to assist in balance, stability, and in turns. - Slider. The slider is like a walker with skis attached. The slider has many adjustments, handles, tether attachment points, articulating joints including edge angle and ski direction (wedge or parallel). The slider is used by students with severe balance problems who cannot fully support themselves. Usually requires two instructors to assist the student when using the slider. Page 15
- Sitski/mono ski. A monoski consists of a molded seat or bucket attached to an alpine ski by a suspension system. The monoski allows skiers who cannot use their legs to ski independently sitting down. The bucket is roughly equal to a stand-up skier s boot. Good balance is necessary to monoski. - Sitski/biski. The biski consists of a molded seat or bucket attached to two articulating side-cut ski by a suspension system. Even skiers with a high level spinal injury or severe disability can ski a biski. Some biskiers can ski independently; others will always require instructor assistance through the use of tethers. For skiers with severe disabilities who are unable to balance effectively or hold outrigger then fixed outriggers attached to the biski are available. When using the fixed outriggers the instructor must double tether to assist the student to steer the biski at a sufficient distance whereby the instructor s skis do not foul with the fixed outriggers. Page 16
Adaptive Teaching Tools There are many tools available, here are some. - Ski Bra is a device that attaches to the ski tips to stabilize the tips and still allows the skis to be parallel or in a wedge with out the ski crossing. Tethers can be attached to the rings on the bra to enable the instructor to assist in speed control and steering. Remove the bra as soon as possible so the student does not become depend on the teaching tool. - Spreader bar is a rigid metal tube attached at the ski tips or between the boots to hold the skis in wider track parallel position. It may have a bungee cord passing through the tube to permit some movement but will not let the skis cross. Future picture here - Short Pole is held at waist or chest height by the student. Instructor skis backward or beside the student. Page 17
- Long Pole is held at waist or chest height. Instructor(s) and student ski beside each other. - Horse and Buggy. Two poles or tethers, one in each hand of student and instructor, held at hip height. One person skis in front, the other immediately in back. - Hula Hoop. The instructor and student hold onto the hula hoop while the instructor skis backwards or instructors on each side. The advantage of this assist is that the student must stand up and cannot lean against the hula hoop. Page 18
- Two-point Hold. The instructor is behind the student and places one ski between the student s ski and the on the outside. The Instructor places one hand on the students thigh and the other hand on the student s shoulder or hip (with permission). By gently moving the leg and hip, the instructor explains and assists the student in turning and stopping. - Ski Pole/Ski Bra Assist. The strap of one of the instructor s ski poles is attached to the ski bra. The instructor then ski backwards holding the ski pole while leading the student. - Harness that goes around the skier s waist or hips with attachment points for tethers. The harness is also a good restraining harness with a tether to keep your student on the chair lift. Page 19
- Tethers probably the most common and useful safety and teaching tool in our inventory. Tethering requires lots of practice, advanced to expert skiing ability, as well a feel, timing and coordination. Your first priority is to the safety for yourself and your student. Through tethering you are taking on the responsibility of becoming the braking power for both you and your student. Be confident in your ability to stop the both of you. o Always secure the tethers to your bare wrist by making a loop at the end of each tether, pulling it tight and then putting on your gloves o Keep the tether short enough to be effective yet long enough to ensure a safe distance between the student and the instructor. o Ski and tether directly behind your student. o Choose the best skiing technique to always stay in control. Wedge turns offer greater control on easier terrain while parallel skiing offers far more braking power on steeper terrain and in emergency situations. o Be aware of the tension on the tethers. Maintain tight tension in the beginning of a new skill, and allow the tension to soften as the student starts to respond. Work towards total slack tethers and complete removal. - There are many ways to use tethers. Some suggestions are: o Single safety tether attached to a harness or back of a sitski bucket to control speed and/or stop. Page 20
o Two tethers attached to the back of biski bucket to assist in turning (heeling the bucket) and speed control. o Two tethers held in each hand of student and instructor at waist height. Instructor behind controlling turn shape (horse and buggy). Future picture here o Two tethers can be attached to the ankles or a harness. A continuous tether with a tire inner tube could be around the waist or held by the student. Tethers could be attached to a ski bra or slider to control speed and assist in turning. Page 21
- Tetra gloves allow skiers with limited fine motor skill and strength in their hands/lower arms to hold to firmly grip outriggers or the bar on a biski. Tetra gloves empower the student with more control and mobility. - A two way radio is available to aid in verbal commands between instructor and student. The radio is best used with students who are vision or hearing impaired. Consider using with students who have attention deficit disorder. - Skier bibs are available to be worn by students with visual impairment and their guides/instructors to alert other skiers and riders on the mountain. Page 22
- Padding and foam is available to you to ensure that your student has a proper fit in a sitski, biski, or his boots for comfort and to aid in Stance and Balance. - Dowling placed under the skis of a loaded monoski or biski to adjust the centre of balance. Be adaptive; develop your own ideas and teaching tools. Think outside the box. Try different things, if it works, use it. Share your idea with the rest of us. Remember what ever teaching tools you do use fade them out as soon as possible so the student does not become dependent on the teaching tools or even you, the instructor, but becomes an independent competent skier having a good time on the mountain. Page 23