Special Issue: London 2012 Paralympics: Preparing the Secrets to Success

Submission deadline extended: 9^th January 2012

In an effort to celebrate and call attention to the importance of research and the state of the art technology of sports biomechanics in disabled bodied athletes, Prosthetics and Orthotics International will publish a special issue on the London 2012 Paralympics.

With its origins from the United Kingdom, the IXX Paralympic Games will return to London on the 29^th August, 2012. More than 4,000 athletes representing 30 countries are expected to take part in over 20 Paralympic events. Whilst the secret to success for the athletes includes talent, dedication and hard work, from a biomechanical perspective, power, efficiency, accuracy and consistency can be considered as the most challenging motor skills. Learning and mastering the skills for participation in any Paralympic event is biomechanically complex and challenging. This however may vary from one event to another with many athletes seeking technical advice from various forms of media that include websites and books. Although literature exists on biomechanical research and performance of disabled athletes, this information is limited. This special issue of Prosthetics and Orthotics International requests that authors submit original research reports that enhances current understanding and brings together multidisciplinary approaches of all biomechanical aspects of creating a Paralympian. The research should be based on all biomechanical aspects related to any Paralympic event and may include performance indicators, motion and force patterns, applied coaching, and risk mechanisms of injury. Psychology based papers relating to empirical research is also encouraged. In order to expand the readership of Prosthetics and Orthotics International there will be a predominant focus on applied and clinical methodologies.

Author Guideline and Submission Deadline

Instruction for authors and submission guidelines can be found at Prosthetics and Orthotics International homepage http://POI.sagepub.com/. The deadline for submission is 9^th January 2012. All papers will be peer reviewed in accordance with the journal’s review process and should be submitted online at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/poi. Each paper should be marked for a ‘Special Issue’ using the title ‘London 2012 Paralympics: Preparing the Secrets to Success’.

For further information, please contact the Editor-in- Chief.

Dr Sarah Curran Editor-in-Chief Prosthetics and Orthotics International [e-mail]