Adaptive Skiing Holidays For Disabled People
The mountains welcome everyone and if you have dreamt of skiing or snowboarding, then don’t let your disability stop you from hitting the slopes this winter. To help make your skiing adventure happen we offer some information about the types of disabled skiing equipment available and present some fabulous tour operators that specialise in adaptive skiing holidays for physically disabled people as well as those with sensory and learning disabilities.
Disabled Ski Equipment
There are a few different adaptive skiing technologies and when booking skiing holidays via our featured tour operators, you will be helped to arrange ski equipment that is best suited to your needs but just to give an idea of the types of adaptive ski equipment available today, we’ve done a brief breakdown:
Sit-Ski: One of the first solutions invented for skiing in the sitting position the Sit-Ski allows those with significant physical limitations, blind and visual impairments to negotiate the slopes in a seated shell which sits directly on the snow. Short outriggers and forearm crutches with shortened skis attached are used for balance and steering.
Mono-Ski: Great for an independent ski experience, the mono-ski is designed for skiing in a sitting position with a moulded seat mounted onto a single ski. Two hand held outriggers are used for balance and manoeuvring. The Mono-Ski requires good upper body strength and is suited to people with spinal cord injuries T-6 or below, spina bifia and double lower amputees.
Bi-Ski: Provides more balance than the mono-ski with a moulded seat mounted above two asymmetrically cut skies giving it a wider base. Ski independently with two outriggers or for beginners, with the use of fixed outriggers and assistance from a ski instructor. The Bi-Ski is designed for individuals who ski in a sitting position making it ideal for wheelchair users.
Three Track: With one full size ski and two outriggers the three track skiing is designed for those with one strong leg and two strong arms and generally used by those who have had a leg amputation.
Four Track: With two skis and two outriggers that are adapted forearm crutches with ski tips mounted to the bottom makes four track skiing suitable for those who use canes or crutches to walk. A ski bra can also be used to prevent the ski tips from wandering giving the skier better control.
Booking Your Adaptive Skiing Holiday
The specialist tour operators featured on Disability Holidays Guide.com tailor holidays by selecting programmes, equipment and instructors that meet individual needs and accommodation is usually part of the package. So where do you fancy, Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland or maybe the USA? One thing is for sure… our operators will do their best to make sure your skiing holiday is one to remember!
Please Quote ‘Disability Holidays Guide’ when contacting the companies below: