23^rd Annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games 

Long Beach, CA, 2003

For the past 4 years, HERL has organized a team of students and faculty to participate in the annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Our presence at the games helps us to interact with and serve our veterans who use wheelchairs. The event also gives us the opportunity to disseminate the results of our research, educate wheelchair users on the work we do, and recruit people who use wheelchairs and who live outside of Pittsburgh to participate in our research studies. 
This year’s games took place in Long Beach, California. HERL sent a research team of 9 faculty and students to the event. This year, we continued research on two ongoing HERL studies: the datalogger study, in which we monitor how far, fast, and often people use wheelchairs, and the maintenance study, in which we collect data on how often peoples’ wheelchairs need repairs. We also began 2 new studies: the lifestyles study, where we collected data on wheelchair user’s dietary and exercise habits, and a weight and wheelchair propulsion study.
The wheelchair games is also an opportunity for HERL director and long-time wheelchair athlete Dr. Rory Cooper to compete in the events. This year, Dr. Cooper received two gold medals in the 100m wheelchair race and the 50m breaststroke competition. He also brought home 3 silver medals in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, and Slalom competitions.