Steve Emt found wheelchair curling at 42 from a stranger on Cape Cod. Laura Dwyer found it from a flyer posted at a local rink. Neither was looking for a Paralympic sport. Both became the first US mixed doubles pair at the 2026 Milan Games, where they finished fourth after beating China in round-robin, the only team to beat China in the tournament. The barrier wasn't their disabilities. It was not knowing the programs existed. Wheelchair curling was designed for wheelchair users from the first stone. There's no sweeping. The delivery stick replaces the sliding delivery. Mixed doubles created new competitive pathways at the 2026 Games, and the equipment costs (delivery sticks run $100 to $300 new) are lower than any other para winter sport. Stones are shared by clubs. Personal equipment needs are minimal. If your child or family member uses a wheelchair and wants to try curling, here's how to find programs, what qualifies, and what the pathway looks like from first club session to national competition. Who Qualifies for Wheelchair Curling. Wheelchair curling classification requires significant lower limb or trunk impairment that prevents normal walking. This includes spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, amputation, and other mobility impairments that affect the lower body. The sport is designed around what wheelchair users can do. Players deliver stones from a stationary wheelchair using a delivery stick, a device that extends reach and eliminates the need for the sliding delivery able-bodied curlers use. No sweeping is permitted in...

Practical guide to starting wheelchair curling, from club locators to competition pathways and equipment costs under $300.

How Families Find Wheelchair Curling Programs for Children with Disabilities

Steve Emt found wheelchair curling at 42 from a stranger on Cape Cod. Laura Dwyer found it from a flyer posted at a local rink. Neither was looking for a Paralympic sport. Both became the first US mixed doubles pair at the 2026 Milan Games, where they finished fourth after beating China in round-robin, the only team to beat China in the tournament. The barrier wasn't their disabilities. It was not knowing the programs existed. Wheelchair curling was designed for wheelchair users from the first stone. There's no sweeping. The delivery stick replaces the sliding delivery. Mixed doubles created new competitive pathways at the 2026 Games, and the equipment costs (delivery sticks run $100 to $300 new) are lower than any other para winter sport. Stones are shared by clubs. Personal equipment needs are minimal. If your child or family member uses a wheelchair and wants to try curling, here's how to find programs, what qualifies, and what the pathway looks like from first club session to national competition. Who Qualifies for Wheelchair Curling. Wheelchair curling classification requires significant lower limb or trunk impairment that prevents normal walking. This includes spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, amputation, and other mobility impairments that affect the lower body. The sport is designed around what wheelchair users can do. Players deliver stones from a stationary wheelchair using a delivery stick, a device that extends reach and eliminates the need for the sliding delivery able-bodied curlers use. No sweeping is permitted in...

In a study by Middle Tennessee State University's (MTSU) Department of Health and Human Performance, a treadmill at the bottom of a tank filled with 270 gallons of water has been helping paraplegics make great strides. This same technique has also been applied to children with cerebral palsy (CP) to improve their endurance and leg strength. In a previous study which ran from 2005-2008 at MTSU, children with cerebral palsy trained in the underwater treadmill and showed better leg efficiency and strength after only three sessions a week for eight weeks. They were also able to walk faster on dry land. Sandra Stevens, a PhD graduate who is now an independent researcher at the university, has been studying the effects of the underwater treadmill since 2005. Her doctoral dissertation at MTSU observed 12 adults with incomplete spinal cord injuries who trained in the same way as the children with CP. These participants had some motor or sensory functions preserved below the level of the injury. Those who completed the study in 2010 had significantly improved motor function. Some showed increased stability during transfers and others even lost the need for a device to assist with walking. They also reported an improved sense of well-being and self-confidence, due to a renewed hope in gaining mobility. The current study involving the underwater treadmill at MTSU focuses on helping those with complete spinal cord injury. One participant, Carmen Thompson, was paralyzed from the waist down in a freak accident in 2007. Before training,...

MTSU study shows underwater treadmill helps improve mobility in paraplegics and children with CP, offering increased hope and function.

Underwater Treadmill Gives Paraplegics Hope

In a study by Middle Tennessee State University's (MTSU) Department of Health and Human Performance, a treadmill at the bottom of a tank filled with 270 gallons of water has been helping paraplegics make great strides. This same technique has also been applied to children with cerebral palsy (CP) to improve their endurance and leg strength. In a previous study which ran from 2005-2008 at MTSU, children with cerebral palsy trained in the underwater treadmill and showed better leg efficiency and strength after only three sessions a week for eight weeks. They were also able to walk faster on dry land. Sandra Stevens, a PhD graduate who is now an independent researcher at the university, has been studying the effects of the underwater treadmill since 2005. Her doctoral dissertation at MTSU observed 12 adults with incomplete spinal cord injuries who trained in the same way as the children with CP. These participants had some motor or sensory functions preserved below the level of the injury. Those who completed the study in 2010 had significantly improved motor function. Some showed increased stability during transfers and others even lost the need for a device to assist with walking. They also reported an improved sense of well-being and self-confidence, due to a renewed hope in gaining mobility. The current study involving the underwater treadmill at MTSU focuses on helping those with complete spinal cord injury. One participant, Carmen Thompson, was paralyzed from the waist down in a freak accident in 2007. Before training,...

MTSU study shows underwater treadmill helps improve mobility in paraplegics and children with CP, offering increased hope and function.

Underwater Treadmill Gives Paraplegics Hope

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Special Needs
Articles

How Families Find Wheelchair Curling Programs for Children with Disabilities

Underwater Treadmill Gives Paraplegics Hope

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs Articles

How Families Find Wheelchair Curling Programs for Children with Disabilities

Underwater Treadmill Gives Paraplegics Hope

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles