ISSUE 25 – SUMMER 2019 REVOLUTIONS OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PETER HARRISON CENTRE FOR DISABILITY SPORT ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS: Lboro Game changers Hot bath research Participation at the school games Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Success WELCOME NEW PHC MEMBERS DIRECTOR’S FOREWORD by Vicky Tolfrey Before many of the PHC staff and students head to Holland for the IPC VISTA 2019 conference to showcase their research, I wanted to acknowledge the efforts of all involved. The environment and culture of the PHC is very positive and over the last 12 months all the staff have added to this positive approach supporting the PhD completions of Ben Stephenson, Sven Hoekstra, Mike Hutchinson and Ben Stone. Christof’s, Lettie’s, Keith’s and Barry’s dedication and attention to detail were greatly appreciated with the English Institute of Sport, British Janine Coates and to date this work supporting these completions (see Paralympic Association (see pages 4 has received great feedback. and 8). Some of these ventures are well page 9 where these efforts have been Finally I would like to congratulate established such as the Paralympic PHC staff, and students from the sport science undergraduate program enjoy taking nominated for/and received awards). the GB Wheelchair rugby team on Performance Conference, while others part in wheelchair basketball. The PHC team have also contributed behalf of all at the PHC on their STOP PRESS such as the Paralympic Health and significantly and did a fantastic job not third successive European title and Well-being round table event hosted The Science of Wheelchair only working on their own projects qualification to Tokyo 2020. by Dr Carolyn Plateau and Dr Jamie Emma’s research interests are Sport – On the 2nd May the and with their own students, but also Barker indicate an exciting kick-start With the sports we are directly working broadly focussed on the sociology of Rehabilitation Robotics Lab working with overseas researchers to new ventures. with; paratriathlon, wheelchair rugby the body, and more specifically on at the University of Alberta from Australia, Korea, Canada, Japan, and wheelchair tennis then I look body narratives, representation, and (Canada) played host to Prof Brazil and Holland. On that note, I would like to formally forward to the sporting results over bodily / narrative disruption as a result Vicky Tolfrey for a talk and panel welcome Nik Diaper to Loughborough Our integrated team have worked very the summer and then all getting back of disability and chronic sport related discussion on wheelchair sports. University as the new Head of hard throughout the last six months as into things ready for the start of the injury. Following her postdoc, Emma’s This inspiring event aimed to Para Sport, the first role of its kind evident with what is showcased in this Paralympic Games next year! present research interests are focussed create connections between the within higher education. Nik will be newsletter. We are at our best when on disability representation and media wheelchair sports community responsible for defining Loughborough’s we are collaborating across disciplines narratives in Paralympic sport in the in Alberta, the University of strategic direction for para sport and with like-minded and equally We hope you enjoy learning context of Channel 4’s (C4) coverage Alberta, the Steadward Centre, for developing a new disability sport Emma completed her PhD at enthusiastic individuals, institutions about the Centre and find the and legacy remit. Her work in this and Prof Tolfrey. offer for the University. We look forward Loughborough University in 2016 and sports from across the globe. links to the website and other area has engaged with C4’s production to working with Nik over the coming before undertaking a postdoctoral Vicky was shown their impressive resources useful. practices in Paralympic sport and wider Within this edition of the newsletter months and look forward to see the research position on an Arts & labs that included this virtual disability programming, changing media we highlight the research visits of blank paper evolving over time. If you have any feedback on Humanities funded research project, reality wheelchair ergometer rig. representations of Para-athletes, and Prof Rory Cooper, Dr Emma Beckman More information on Nik’s new role this issue or would like to entitled ‘Disability & the Cultural the impact of Paralympic media on (made possible via funds from the can be found at: www.lboro.ac.uk/ contact the Centre please Legacy of the Paralympics’ at everyday public attitudes toward, Institute of Advanced Studies) and Prof news-events/news/2019/february/ email: [email protected] or Bournemouth University. and understandings of, disability. Audrey Hicks travelling from Canada new-head-of-para-sport contact the PHC Director to examine Mike’s PhD. We also At a more local level it’s great to read at [email protected] highlight our on-going collaborations about Lesley’s work who has just between the PHC and The Medical finished filming a series of participatory Center for Health Promotion and Produced by: vlog videos with some young people who Sport Science at Wakayama Medical Tom O’Brien, Vicky Tolfrey and access inclusive School Games events. University in Japan (page11). Creative and Print Services. The vlogs capture their experiences and At a National level we continue to perspectives of the events in real time; Thanks to all the contributors. host and contribute to events with work that has been supervised by Dr 2 | Revolutions Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport | 3 CONFERENCES CONFERENCES UK PARALYMPIC It was also nice to be able to share INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Sven presented an overview of his PhD PERFORMANCE 2019 some of my own research and OF ENVIRONMENTAL work, the approach of using heat as a STOP PRESS CONFERENCE REFLECTIONS experiences on the importance of ERGONOMICS tool to benefit health in people who are Congratulations to Michael equipment and equipment maintenance prevented from doing exercise was very By Barry Mason By Christof Leicht Hutchinson and Ganisha in one of the symposia. Coming from a well received. Hutchinson on their recent I always enjoy attending the UK research / academic background, you To learn some more on the impacts of marriage from all at the Paralympic Performance Conference, are never entirely sure about how some temperature on chronic disease, health, Taking an athlete-centred approach, Peter Harrison Centre. as for an academic it is rare to be of the content will be received, but it and performance, a small Peter Harrison Ben Stephenson presented his work surrounded by so many practitioners was nice to hear some positive Centre delegation visited this conference on Para-Triathletes undergoing and it is a great opportunity to find feedback about what was delivered. for the first time. heat acclimation. out about the practice that is taking Aside from the sessions themselves, Once more after our trip in December, Finally, I presented our latest results place directly at the coalface of elite the schedule also allowed for plenty Sven Hoekstra and Christof Leicht took on hot bathing and its effect on the Paralympic sport. of downtime, which enabled some on the country of windmills, canals, control of blood sugar. Discussing these With Tokyo now just around the corner important discussions to take place. and bicycles, this time with Ben findings with a group from Maastricht it was fantastic to hear about all of the This is always an important step as Stephenson in tow. (NL), I was surprised to hear that they plans and steps that our sporting so often academia and applied had found very similar changes to Amsterdam treated us to a fantastic system are taking to make sure we practice remain separate, whereas the control of blood sugar – however, experience, and the relatively small are the best prepared. The level of these were great opportunities to conference size and the friendly these researchers had done the exact detail and enthusiasm is incredible, network and discuss ways in which atmosphere among the delegates meant opposite, namely cooling the body up to so I thoroughly enjoyed a number of we (research) can facilitate that we were able to have plenty of good the point of shivering. Confused? Well the sessions that were delivered. practitioners wherever possible. chats and connect with other research I don’t have any explanations yet but groups – there is some shared interest watch this space. There is more of around the globe of the research we do! our temperature research to come! 4 | Revolutions Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport | 5 LOUGHBOROUGH GAMECHANGERS RESEARCH UPDATES By Christof Leicht EXERCISE, BUT ALSO HOT The exercise-related studies of my PhD showed that different forms of Loughborough University has selected BATHS TO REDUCE CHRONIC arm-cranking, including continuous the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability TurningLOW-GRADE up INFLAMMATION? the heat – hot baths to promote and interval exercise, can induce this Sport as one of their GameChangers By Sven Hoekstra acute inflammatory response that (www.lboro.ac.uk/lborogamechangers). health in people unable to exercise? Being physically inactive and carrying is suggested beneficial for health, The GameChangers all represent Gettingexcess hot duringbody fat putsexercise people helps at risk to increasedespite inflammatory the reduced active markers, muscle Turning up the heat – hot baths to promote groups whose work is impactful and whichfor is asuggested condition called to be chronic beneficial low- for health.mass. CanAlthough the thiselevation is promising of body for health in people unable to exercise? makes a difference in the “real world”, temperaturegrade inflammation. by taking Thisa hot chronic bath induce similarthe use ofbenefits? exercise to promote health Getting hot during exercise helps to increase inflammatory markers, or in the word of the campaign posters: overactivation of the immune system which is suggested to be beneficial for health.