Starting classes in Paralympic swimming

The Paralympic swimmers are divided into different starting classes in order to create rating groups for athletes with different disabilities (also referred to as: handicaps). Athletes in a starting class are scored against each other. It is possible to combine individual starting classes.

Classification

The starting classes in swimming generally begin with the letter "S" (like swimming). The starting class abbreviation "SB" (B for breaststroke or breaststroke) is only available for the breast stretches . For the layers -Competitions the main class is given the suffix letter "M" (M is as Medley, English for " documents "). The background to this is that the leg muscles are increasingly required for propulsion during breaststroke swimming and the arm muscles are used more intensively during butterfly swimming.

The starting classes with the letters "S", "SB" and "SM" are divided into classes with the following class numbers:

Disabled swimmers: 1 to 10
Visually impaired swimmers: 11 to 13
Mentally disabled swimmers: 14

The division of the swimmers into the corresponding start classes is determined by classification tests. The "Classification Guidelines of the German Disabled Sports Association eV - Basis of IPC Classification Regulations -" provide a detailed insight (status: 2010 with 80 pages, status 2014 does not give any details).

Limited competition program

Due to the physical limitations, some types of swimming are not possible in selected start classes. For example, there are no butterfly courses for the starting classes S1 to S5 (severe physical restrictions) and in the starting classes SM3 and SM4 ( multi-layer swimming , severe physical restrictions), instead of 200 m individual positions, only 150 m individual courses without a butterfly section are swum.

Examples for the division of the starting classes

based on the specifications of the German Disabled Sports Association

Swimmers with physical disabilities

In the case of physically disabled athletes, the limbs are measured and the angles of movement of the arms and legs recorded (so-called "bench test"). Another test is done in the water. The advance plays an important role in the classification.

With the help of the "Functional Classification System (FCS)", motor skills are assessed with points. A swimmer without a handicap will be awarded 300 points.

Points system, division into arms, legs, torso, start, turn
class	Swimming type	Points arms	Points legs	Points trunk	Points start	Points turn	Sum of points
S-class	Freestyle, back, butterfly	Max. 130	Max. 100	Max. 50	Max. 10	Max. 10	= max. 300
SB class	Breaststroke	Max. 110	Max. 120	Max. 50	Max. 10	Max. 10	= max. 300
SM class	Layer swimming (butterfly, back, chest, freestyle)	the S-class is triple and the SB-class is simply part of the SM-class.					= max. 1200

The slightest handicap that entitles to participate is indicated by the loss of 15 points.

General	Locations	chest	description	Example swimmer
S1	SM1	-	Swimmers with very severe coordination problems in all four limbs, poor control over the trunk and head and very limited propulsive power due to the movements of the limbs. This corresponds to a quadriplegia or polio , comparable to a complete paraplegia C5. Furthermore, swimmers with severe joint changes with severely restricted movement and propulsive power of the limbs are summarized here.
S2	SM2	SB1	Similar to class S1, but these swimmers have more propulsion when they use their arms and legs, ie the range of motion of the upper limbs is low. Furthermore, swimmers with serious impairments of the skeletal muscles are also summarized here. This corresponds to the limitations of a complete paraplegia of the C6 / 7 cervical vertebrae.
S3	SM3	SB2	Swimmers with severe spasticity in all limbs, poor control of the trunk and head, poor propulsion coordination in all four limbs, severe dysmelia in all four limbs or amputation of all four limbs with short stumps, severe muscular atrophy or one in all four limbs concerned arthrogryposis in this starting class. This corresponds to the limitations of a complete paraplegia of the C7 cervical vertebra.
S4	SM4	SB3	Swimmers with impaired skeletal muscles. Comparable to a complete tetraplegia under the C8 cervical vertebra with good finger extension, incomplete tetraplegia under the C7 cervical vertebra or comparable polio , an arthrogryposis affecting all four limbs with moderate to good propulsion from the upper limbs and dysmelia of three limbs. For the starting class in breaststroke (SB), complete cross-sections under cervical vertebra C8 with good finger extension, incomplete cross-sections under cervical vertebra C7, complete cross-sections thoracic vertebra T1-5 and thoracic vertebra T1-8 with oblique abdominal muscles, thoracic vertebra T4 / 6 are also summarized here.	Marayke Jonkers (Australia)
S5	SM5	SB4	Swimmers with adequate core muscles and proper mobility in shoulders and elbows, height no more than 130 cm (women) and 137 cm (men) with other impairments and with additional problems with propulsion (only S-Class), dysmelia in three limbs or arthrogryposis affecting all four limbs with moderate to good propulsion in the upper and lower limbs and complete transverse sections, or polio under thoracic vertebrae T1-T8. For the starting class in the breaststroke (SB), complete cross-sections under thoracic vertebra T6-T10, thoracic vertebra T9-lumbar vertebra L1 with oblique abdominal muscles between thoracic vertebra T4 / 6 and complete cross-sections under cervical vertebra C8 are combined here.	Daniel Dias (Brazil)
S6	SM6	SB5	Swimmers with moderate diplegia without suitable leg function, with proper control of the trunk to good mobility in the shoulders and elbows, hemiplegia with severe restrictions in the more severely affected arm (comparable to complete cross-sections or polio under thoracic vertebra T9- lumbar vertebra L1 with no leg function for the Swimming), amputations above the elbow and above the knee on the same side, bilateral amputations above the elbow with stumps less than 1/4, amputations of three limbs, dysmelia with shortened arms (2/3 of normal) and amputations above the knee combined . Furthermore, athletes with coordination problems, people of short stature up to 130 cm (women) and 137 cm (men) (S class only) are represented in this starting class. For the starting class in breaststroke (SB), complete cross-sections under thoracic vertebra T11- lumbar vertebra L1 with no leg function for swimming, complete cross-sections lumbar vertebra L2-L3 with oblique abdominal muscles, thoracic vertebra T4 / 6 and body sizes no more than 130 cm (women) and 137 cm (men) with other impairments and with additional problems with propulsion (SB class only).	Alicia Jenkins (Australia) others: Kirsten Bruhn (Germany), Verena Schott (Germany), Eleanor Simmonds (Great Britain)
S7	SM7	SB6	Swimmers with complete cross-sections or polio under the lumbar vertebra L2 / L3, moderate diplegia / moderate hemiplegia with coordination problems and with minor problems in the upper body and trunk, amputations on both sides below the elbow, amputations on both sides above the knee with stumps shorter than 1/2, amputations above the elbow and above the knee on the opposite side and with a paralyzed upper extremity and severely restricted leg function and people of short stature (SB class only)	Amanda Fraser (Australia) others: Sebastian Iwanow (Germany)
S8	SM8	SB7	Swimmers with complete cross-sections or polio under lumbar vertebrae L4 / L5, with low hemiplegia, low spasticity in the four limbs, bilateral amputations above the knee (stumps longer than 1/2 and not longer than 1/3), unilateral amputations above the Elbow or complete brachial plexus lesion , bilateral hand amputations and severe restrictions on the joints of the lower limbs.	Priya Cooper (Australia) others: Torben Schmidtke (Germany), Jessica Long (USA)
S9	SM9	SB8	Swimmers with minimal weakness in their legs, polio with an unaffected leg or athletes with slight general coordination difficulties, unilateral amputations above the knee, bilateral amputations below the knee with stumps longer than 1/3 (SB- longer than 1 / 4), unilateral amputations under the elbow (SB: stumps longer than 1/4 and double amputations under the elbow (stumps longer than 1/2)) and partial impairment of the joints in the lower limbs or with the loss of the upper limb with a more affected side.	Melissa Carlton (Australia)
S10	SM10	SB9	Swimmers with polio and cauda equina syndrome S1 / 2 with minimal effects on the upper extremities, paresis on one leg, severe limitations of a hip joint, unilateral amputations below the knee (SB: stumps longer than 1/4), bilateral amputations of the Feet For the starting class in breaststroke (SB): unilateral amputation under the elbow with stumps longer than 1/4 and hand amputations, Erb's paralysis, brachial plexus lesions or loss of 1/2 palm (SB: less than 1/3)	Scott Brockenshire (Australia)

Swimmers with visual impairment

The minimum handicap is given by a maximum of 6/60 eyesight with the best possible correction (glasses or contact lenses etc.)

General	Locations	chest	description	Example swimmer
S11	SM11	SB11	Swimmers with no remaining vision. Blindness up to the sensation of light without being able to recognize shapes	Daniela Schulte (Germany)
S12	SM12	SB12	Swimmers with severely impaired vision. Vision up to 2/60 or a visual field restriction to less than 5 °	Kingsley Bugarin (Australia) others: Maike Naomi Schnittger (Germany), Daniel Simon (Germany)
S13	SM13	SB13	Swimmers with severely impaired vision. Vision up to a vision of 6/60 or a visual field restriction to less than 20 °

Swimmer with intellectual disabilities

General	Locations	chest	description	Example swimmer
S14	SM14	SB14	Swimmers with a recognized intellectual disability	Janina Breuer (Germany)

Web links

Individual evidence

^ Rolf Marquordt: Classification guidelines of the German Disabled Sports Association - Basis IPC Classification - Regulations - Swimming -. Deutscher Behinderten Sportverband eV, September 13, 2010, accessed on March 26, 2016 (very detailed information. Replaced by the 2014 classification rules).
↑ Classification regulations - swimming - of the German Disabled Sports Association German Disabled Sports Association, September 20, 2014, accessed on March 26, 2016 (current classification regulations).
↑ Sebastian Schwenke (Ed.): Swimsportmagazine: Paralympics 2016 - The starting classes . Spring 2016 issue. SsM swimsportMedia GmbH, Leipzig 2016, p. 18-19 .
↑ Swimming classification. Austrian Paralympic Committee, accessed on March 26, 2016 (refers to the German Disabled Sports Association as a source).
↑ Christian Kamp: Starting classes of the Paralympics Behind the optical perception . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . September 10, 2008, ISSN 0174-4909 ( faz.net [accessed March 26, 2016]).
↑ ^a ^b ^c IDM swimming - start classes. In: www.idm-schwimmen.de. Retrieved March 26, 2016 .

[1] Rolf Marquordt: Classification guidelines of the German Disabled Sports Association - Basis IPC Classification - Regulations - Swimming -. Deutscher Behinderten Sportverband eV, September 13, 2010, accessed on March 26, 2016 (very detailed information. Replaced by the 2014 classification rules).

[2] Classification regulations - swimming - of the German Disabled Sports Association German Disabled Sports Association, September 20, 2014, accessed on March 26, 2016 (current classification regulations).

[3] Sebastian Schwenke (Ed.): Swimsportmagazine: Paralympics 2016 - The starting classes . Spring 2016 issue. SsM swimsportMedia GmbH, Leipzig 2016, p. 18-19 .

[4] Swimming classification. Austrian Paralympic Committee, accessed on March 26, 2016 (refers to the German Disabled Sports Association as a source).

[5] Christian Kamp: Starting classes of the Paralympics Behind the optical perception . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . September 10, 2008, ISSN 0174-4909 ( faz.net [accessed March 26, 2016]).

[:0-6] IDM swimming - start classes. In: www.idm-schwimmen.de. Retrieved March 26, 2016 .