Studies on Designing Adaptive Sportswear for Differently …
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such problems. The main issues faced by the wheelchair-bound tennis players of
India are:
While playing, the skin of the elbow gets abraded against the tires of the wheelchair
hence additional protection may be incorporated while designing of the upper.
• It has been observed that the palms of these users become hard due to the act of
rotating the push rim to propel the wheelchair.
• The straps present in the wheelchair to secure the player, in abdomen, thigh and
ankle areas sometimes create rashes in those parts of the body.
• The wheelchair tennis players find it difficult to don and doff their lowers and use
washrooms independently.
• The wheelchair tennis players affected by polio have fit issues with the lowers
available in the commercial sportswear. Many of the players have weak muscles in
the lower limb and muscular atrophy that needs to be taken care of while designing
adaptive sportswear.
• Depending on the excessive sweating and heat generation in certain areas of the
body.
3.6 Development of Design Criteria for Adaptive Sportswear
for Wheelchair-Bound Tennis Players
The problems and needs stated by the users and stakeholders during the ethnographic
study and structured interview helped in initial design conceptualisation. The main
problems faced by the players are as follows:
• Tight armhole of the upper creates difficulty in hand movement.
• Lowers need to accommodate calipers, otherwise, removal of calipers while
playing makes them unstable.
• While playing, the back part of the T-shirt lifts up exposing the skin that comes in
contact with the wheelchair back. That causes abrasion and irritation in the lower
back as it is in contact with the wheelchair.
• While playing the waist of the trouser tends to slip down. To prevent such slippage,
the player needs the appropriate design of the waist band.
The main aesthetic requirements of the players are as follows:
• Male and female players have individual colour preferences.
• Both male and female players would prefer to have sportswear with concealed
modifications that would not be visible to others.
• Female players would prefer sportswear that would hide the physical deformity
of the body.
The analysis of the activities of the players, environment, the interaction of the
player with the wheelchair and assistive devices were also done prior to design
conceptualisation. The findings were further discussed with stakeholders and users
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such problems. The main issues faced by the wheelchair-bound tennis players of
India are:
While playing, the skin of the elbow gets abraded against the tires of the wheelchair
hence additional protection may be incorporated while designing of the upper.
• It has been observed that the palms of these users become hard due to the act of
rotating the push rim to propel the wheelchair.
• The straps present in the wheelchair to secure the player, in abdomen, thigh and
ankle areas sometimes create rashes in those parts of the body.
• The wheelchair tennis players find it difficult to don and doff their lowers and use
washrooms independently.
• The wheelchair tennis players affected by polio have fit issues with the lowers
available in the commercial sportswear. Many of the players have weak muscles in
the lower limb and muscular atrophy that needs to be taken care of while designing
adaptive sportswear.
• Depending on the excessive sweating and heat generation in certain areas of the
body.
3.6 Development of Design Criteria for Adaptive Sportswear
for Wheelchair-Bound Tennis Players
The problems and needs stated by the users and stakeholders during the ethnographic
study and structured interview helped in initial design conceptualisation. The main
problems faced by the players are as follows:
• Tight armhole of the upper creates difficulty in hand movement.
• Lowers need to accommodate calipers, otherwise, removal of calipers while
playing makes them unstable.
• While playing, the back part of the T-shirt lifts up exposing the skin that comes in
contact with the wheelchair back. That causes abrasion and irritation in the lower
back as it is in contact with the wheelchair.
• While playing the waist of the trouser tends to slip down. To prevent such slippage,
the player needs the appropriate design of the waist band.
The main aesthetic requirements of the players are as follows:
• Male and female players have individual colour preferences.
• Both male and female players would prefer to have sportswear with concealed
modifications that would not be visible to others.
• Female players would prefer sportswear that would hide the physical deformity
of the body.
The analysis of the activities of the players, environment, the interaction of the
player with the wheelchair and assistive devices were also done prior to design
conceptualisation. The findings were further discussed with stakeholders and users