A paddle for one armed use - adaptive paddling -

Cindy Dillenschneider has come up with a paddle made for single arm use. This is another great example of adaptive paddling and how a traditional item can be reinvented for people with a disability!

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• adaptive
• paddling
• disability
• universal
• design
• stroke
• missing
• limb

[craniacs1]

nice try but I wouldnt use it, I am a one arm paddler and those straps would drive me crazy....valiant try though.

[QuietwaterFilms]

Cindy Dillenschneider developed the paddle. I think she would be interested in why you think about this the way you do. She is a professor at Northland College in Ashland, WI. You might be doing everyone in the adaptive paddling community a service if you were to bring your concerns up with her.

From what I have seen there is a pretty wide spectrum ranging from a combat vet who lost a limb but otherwise is OK to a stroke victim who can not move one arm and has lost some balance. Hard to fit.

[QuietwaterFilms]

It's tough to see such good products intended for people that very much deserve the joy that both products bring. More than anything, in my opinion, is the difficulty in discovery. Virtually no one knows that these two exist. They have no marketing budget, they have no brand to speak of. Nothing to enable discovery and connect their products with the people and the caregivers that could really use them. I tried getting REI to listen but they wouldn't return phone or email. Tough marketplace.

[QuietwaterFilms]

Cindy (paddle) and Kevin (seat) both have really tough gigs, in my opinion. The market is tiny for both products and their ability to get any sort of financing is virtually nil. This makes them invisible, especially to the people that need their products. Sadly, a product that sells in the low numbers usually sells for a high price, which is also a problem for the people that need the paddle or the seat. I donated my time to at least get their videos out, but they both have along ways to go!

[Trackerz666]

so how is a one armed person to put the paddle on themselves? it took you two hands to put it on...?

[flyrodder68]

Make sure the shoulder and neck pad will not cause any kind of injury to neck and shoulder nerves. I see that you said the shoulder saddle is padded so that is good. The shoulder saddle should also not be sharp in the event of high impact collision with a rock or log etc., as not to chop the neck. Good stuff. I'm excited for you and the folks that you can help enjoy the outdoors even more.

[flyrodder68]

Nice idea and about time! Best wishes.