Press release sent out by Concept 2 on 15th December 2004
Olympic champion and club captain James Cracknell was on hand recently to welcome two paraplegic rowers, Robin Gibbons and Sol Solomou, at Leander Club to mark a very special occasion with special medals. Robin and Sol were the first paraplegics ever to take part in a rowing event when they competed at the recent AXA PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship (BIRC).
They were members of Brunel University's FES rowing team that took part in this year's championship, which was held at the National Indoor Arena on 21st November. Robin completed the 2,000m race in 12.02 minutes and Sol followed just under two minutes behind him with a time of 13.59 minutes.
James Cracknell said: "It is an honour for me to present Robin and Sol with these medals. The training that they put into competing in the AXA PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship has been nothing short of inspirational. I hope that Robin, Sol and other paraplegics will benefit from future developments in FES rowing machines."
Robin and Sol competed in the event using specially adapted Concept 2 indoor rowing machines that utilise functional electrical stimulation (FES) to help paraplegics exercise effectively by stimulating their paralysed leg muscles. The FES rowing machine was developed in collaboration with the UK Charity DEMAND and is a significant breakthrough for people with spinal disability, giving them the opportunity to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Competitive participation at the event has been made possible as a result of the exceptional physical improvements experienced by the competitors since they have been using the FES rowing machine. These include unprecedented levels of cardiovascular fitness, circulation and lymphatic return as well as upper and lower body strength comparable to before their accident and an almost full reversal in muscle wastage of the legs, which can often be as much as 60% after paralysis. Robin Gibbons has reported that since using the FES rowing machine he now has enough strength in his legs to stand.
Brunel's FES Indoor Rower uses a multi channel computerized stimulator with electrodes placed on the athletes skin over the quadriceps and hamstrings. The rower controls each rowing stroke by pressing and releasing a switch that is mounted on the pull bar. The switch is pressed at the "catch" position to start the "drive" phase and released to initiate the "recovery" phase. Together with a specially designed computer control algorithm, smooth coordination is maintained between the voluntary, upper body movement and the electrically stimulated leg movements - effectively recreating a full cardiovascular exercise experience.
Further information on the project and indoor racing can be found at www.concept2.co.uk.
Chrissie Walker, GBCS Public Relations, tel. 0115 9508399