# Savonia Article: From rehabilitation to the top para sport - powerchair hockey

> Powerchair hockey is a team play and where every player uses the electric wheelchair to move.

## Origins and Development
Powerchair hockey (formerly known as electric wheelchair hockey) originated in rehabilitation settings. It began when young individuals with muscular dystrophy, who used electric wheelchairs, started playing hockey at a school for disabled pupils. The sport was born somewhat by accident, as it proved easy to handle light sticks while maneuvering in electric wheelchairs, leading specific schools to incorporate it into their sports lessons.

## Rules and Eligibility
Modern powerchair hockey maintains strict rules and minimum impairment criteria to ensure that only players with the lowest physical capacity are eligible. The goal is to enable competitive sports participation for those with significant physical limitations; individuals with higher physical capacity are encouraged to choose other sports.

Most players have some form of muscular dystrophy, requiring assistance with daily living activities such as dressing, washing, or moving from a chair to a bed.

## Equipment and Gameplay
*   **Wheelchairs:** Players use standard or specially designed electric wheelchairs, with speeds limited to a maximum of 15 km/h.
*   **Control:** Players use standard or adapted joysticks to drive.
*   **Sticks:** Players use standard floorball sticks or "T-sticks."
*   **T-sticks:** Made of synthetic, non-transparent material, these are attached to the front of the powerchair. They are essential for players with limited arm and finger strength who cannot hold a standard stick. When using a T-stick, the ball is struck by moving the wheelchair itself.

## The Classification Process
Classification is a fundamental component of powerchair hockey, designed to ensure fair and equal competition. According to the IPCH Classification Manual (2020), the purpose is to group athletes with approximately equal loss of movement potential so that game outcomes reflect training and talent rather than the impact of impairments.

The process consists of three parts:
1.  **Eligible Impairment:** Verification that the player meets the minimum impairment criteria.
2.  **Evaluation Session:** A classification panel conducts tests and measurements regarding muscle power, range of motion, coordination, and body/limb dimensions.
3.  **Sport Class Assignment:** Players are assigned a class from 0.5 to 4.5 points (in 0.5 increments). Lower points indicate lower physical capacity. Teams are limited to a maximum of 12 points across the five players on the field at any given time (an average of 2.4 points per player).
4.  **Observation:** Final validation of the sport class during actual competition.

Classification panels typically consist of three members: two physiotherapists and one technical assistant.

## The Role of the Classifier
The author, Hannu Kapanen, has served as an international classifier since 2014. He notes that classification exists in a "grey area" between a professional duty and a hobby. It allows him to utilize his physiotherapy background in a clinical-adjacent capacity while traveling internationally and building connections within the global parasport community.

## Rehabilitation and Integration
The author reflects on the intersection of rehabilitation and sport, noting that sport helps disabled individuals integrate into society. Successful classification is vital to this process, as evidenced by the high level of play seen at the 2022 World Championships in Switzerland, where the classification process was praised by coaches for its transparency, thoroughness, and fairness.

## Author Information
**Hannu Kapanen**
Student, Master of Health Care
Physiotherapist
International classifier for Powerchair hockey and Parahockey

**Photo Credits:** Reinthaler Bern, 2014, IPC 2022

## References
*   IPCH Classification Manual (2020). Online publication. Powerhairhockey.org. [Link](http://powercahairhockey.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IPCH-Classification-Manual-2020.pdf/) (read 17.10.2022)
*   Powerchair hockey (2022). Online publication. Powerhairhockey.org. [Link](http://powerchairhockey.org/whatispch/history/) (read 17.10.2022)