Free Essay on the Value of Games and Sports

Games and sports activities are of immense value to those who are either somewhat disabled or deviated from normal humans.

Such Activities remove their frustration, help them readjust and reintroduce themselves into the society, prove their usefulness in particular situations.

Swimming, sitting games, wheel chair games are utilized in some cases for general fitness. And as a remedial measure or to developed neural-muscular mechanism weight exercises, archery, rope climbing, swimming etc are utilized.

Disabled persons delinquents and drug addicts under this sports therapy care become psychologically up. This sort of psychological preparedness help the person to recover, to overcome fatigue and frustration. Gradually the person willingly participate in work schedules. The spirit of co-operation and competition is aroused through group activities and group games.

Such group activities lead to learning of new things out of new situations. It also leads to fresh cultural contacts.

Special sports organisations for the disabled and the challenged groups of delinquents and drug addicts in complete co-ordination with sports therapeutic personnel can prove very useful for such persons and the society.

Activities of Great Potential value

Among the sports activities of great potential value are track & field, volleyball, badminton, basketball, handball, water sports and dance. But when used as a therapy, the competitive element should be avoided or minimized and less pronounced.

Swimming is an excellent activity for therapeutic purposes because of its special quality of buoyancy, its ripples providing mild vibration, fun and enjoyment.

Paraplegics strapped in a wheelchair can play badminton and basketball. They can also easily perform backstroke swimming with someone available for any eventual help. While their lower extremities are dead weight on land, they become buoyant in water and float easily. This favourable opportunity is utilised in teaching swimming strokes.

These activities develop their circulo-respiratory endurance. If the water temperature is raised a little, swimming can be most relaxing.

For the cerebral palsied it may be necessary to teach elementary skills like catching and throwing as well as running and jumping before rather complex games are undertaken.

In group games it may be necessary to adapt with change in rules for playing games like volleyball e.g., by lowering the height of the net, return of the ball even by catching the ball and throwing it etc. The pedaling action of the cycling sort of movement may be given for developing the lower limbs.

Swimming is also a very suitable activity. And if water tempter is raised a little if may help to control spasticity and ease general muscular tension.

In epileptic cases, swimming or any other water sports can only be allowed under strict supervision and with helping assistant always by the side. Competitive athletics, body contact sports, particularly football and boxing are contra- indicated. Jarring of head should be avoided.

Poliomyelitis is a disease that results in disabilities of different sorts in most cases. Disabilities in such cases vary with the extent of residual paralysis with the part affected. Affected persons with lower extremity paralysis can participate in wheelchair activities. Because of highly intricate nature of their handicap, generalization is not possible.

In designing activities (and games) for the post-polio, effort should be made to take advantage of his capabilities. When motor function is only partially impaired, participation in activities on a modified basis may be possible, selection depending upon the type of involvement. Swimming can be an excellent form of activity for them.

Arthritis is inflammation of joints. If occurs due to infection. If is infective, and when acute become superlative. When tubercular infection it is tubercular arthritis.

In degenerative condition it is degenerative or rheumatoid or atrophic arthritis. And if it is due to old age it is osteoarthritis or hypertrophic.

During the recovery stage stationary cycling and swimming helps recovery, sometimes with competition element introduced in order to help them forget their disability. Also administered are recreational sort of game like activities.

In asthma cases (dyspnea may be accompanied with sound caused by the spasm), after physical treatment rhythmic activities, simple breathing exercises, postural exercises and yogic exercises along with adapted group games like throwball, Softball, volleyball may be given, avoiding breathlessness.

In chronic fatigue cases, team games are prescribed for developing social and adjustment attitudes.

After treatment, rheumatic fever patients may gradually be given walking, postural exercises and swimming.

Dance is an effective activity for psychic disorder aftercare patients. Games and sports (made simple) serve as a medium of communication.

In the case of tuberculosis, physical education programme has some role in its inactive stage or at the stage of healing. In acute stage after-care, along with fresh air and sunshine walking is a good form of activity. And the rehabilitation programme includes relaxation exercises, and then gradually progressive procreative exercises and breathing exercises.

Incidences of cardiovascular ailments are due predominantly to sedentary lifestyle. Stress and strain as a result of speed of activity in modern-day life style leaves dangerous impact on the bodily mechanism. Advancement and innovative application of science and technology has changed active man’s living pattern into non-active rather passive sedentary living pattern.

This led to host of hypo kinetic problems like hypertension, ischemic heart disease and functional disorder of the heart.

As prophylactic preventive measure, moderate muscular activity done regularly from the very young age-group results in improvement of cardio-vascular functioning. Through a regular planned muscular load, the heart gets acclimatized to stress and strain, and becomes prepared to face increased physiological demands.

During convalescence of heart patients, selected few who are considered suited to sports therapeutic procedure are given, under medical guidance, graded load of planned progressively increased activity of modified games and sports. Periodic monitoring and evaluation of the state of cardio­vascular function is made. Under proper supervision the patient is expected to improve well, and the period of convalescence is much reduced.

By adopting sports therapy as a sustained process during rehabilitation, the incidence of recurrence and restacks are considerably reduced.

Sports therapeutic programmes have to be organized and supervised by specially trained physical education experts in consultation and under the guidance of competent medical men.

Physical education programme engages students in activity for the purpose of development of skills and abilities, and to involve these in playing games. One of the social values of playing games is social interaction with teammates.

Modified sports have therapeutic value if they are carefully structured for the students.

Some of the ways that regular physical education and sports activities can be modified are:

1) The size of the playing area can be made smaller, reducing the amount of activity proportionately.

2) Larger balls or larger pieces of equipment can be introduced to make the game easier or to slow down the tempo.

3) For certain type of games and sports, smaller, lighter ball or striking implement may be used (such as plastic ball or Styrofoam balls or plastic bats etc.) or any other object that is easier to handle e. g. bean bag etc.

4) More players can be added to a team, reducing the amount of activity and the responsibility of individuals in a game.

5) Minor rule changes can be made, although trying to keep as many basic rules as possible retaining.

6) Time allotment may be reduced, also providing short quarters.

7) If contra-indicated, rotating of positions and rotational sharing of responsibility may be avoided in cases of particular individuals.

8) Number of points required to win a contest may be reduced.

9) Free substitution may be allowed, thereby providing rest, and also alternate participation of reserve others.