Equipment and Setup
Module Intro
There’s a wide range of equipment that can be used in adaptive snowsports but how do you know what to use? The guiding principle is to only use what is necessary to achieve the student’s goals.
Your assessment and the student’s goals should help to guide your choices. If someone is using a wheelchair then it is likely they will use a sit ski, if someone uses crutch(es) then they may need outrigger(s). Be aware though that fatigue may influence the decision as will the student’s goal such as just wanting to experience the mountain for a day or wanting to be able to ski/ride with family and friends every winter.
When setting up equipment your goal is to have the student standing/sitting in a comfortable balanced position over a flat ski/board in a stance that allows them the greatest range of movement.
Relevant Resources
The Adaptive Instructor’s Manual has more in depth information on the different types of equipment. It will be useful to refer to this when working through the topics below and completing the quiz.