Adapted sailing teaching methodology using vsail-trainer simulator as rehabilitation therapy. A feasibility study.

Sailing is a sport that can help in the rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) patients and improve their quality of life. Teaching methodology in sailing has always been considered as complex, due to the great amount of uncertainty that this sport has. To design a protocol for teaching adapted sailing in a simulated situation for people with SCI and to know the effect of the teaching protocol on learning, effort perception and heart rate. Six adults were patients recruited at the National Hospital of Paraplegics of Toledo (Spain), aged between 31 and 54 years, who have passed the early subacute phase. Each subject underwent semi-immersive virtual reality sailing therapy for 40 min per session three times per week for six weeks, 18 sessions. A simulated adapted sailing initiation program VSail-Trainer® was used for the simulator therapy. During this session, the basic notions of sailing, wind direction, sheet trimming and control of the boat on different courses were explained. The variables assessed were: sailing learning, heart rate and effort perception. The comparison of performance variables between pretest and posttest resulted differences in boat speed, heel and Velocity Made Good (VMG). These improvements in the performance variables are also reflected in the average times taken by the subjects to complete the regatta. The methodology used in this study can be used as a guide for learning the activity by new SCI patients in rehabilitation who want to get into sailing sport.