2B back support - The right support for a champion

Name: Claudia Schäfers
Age: 52
Disability: Paraplegia L2 and Weaver-Syndrom
Career: National champion of archery
Length: 192 cm
Wheelchair: Cross with 2B back support, 26 inch wheels
Passion: Opera singer

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It may sound a bit stupid, but a wheelchair is very suitable for archery provided you are stable. By using a wheelchair and sitting upright, wheelchair users build up muscles in their shoulders and arms, which serve them very well in archery.

2B back support – the team player to rely on

With the support of Tingelhoff and the 2B back support I’m not alone at the top anymore.

The thing I like about archery is that I alone am responsible. That may sound a bit strange if you've ever enjoyed playing team sports yourself, but the problem I see with team sports is that you never know if you've won, whether you contributed to it yourself, or whether it was the others that pulled you through with them. In archery, you're all on your own. Performance depends on you, and you alone. If you shoot badly, you get a bad result, and if you shoot well, you get a good result. That's what I enjoy.

It turns out, my wheelchair is also a crucial part of my achievements. And together with Florian my mobility specialist from rehab dealer Tingelhoff, I can now say that I´m a part of a team, and I´m not alone at the top anymore.

Tempted to participate in the Paralympics

I shoot with a child's bow in order to have as light a bow as possible. My bow weighs just 1.5 kg, and I fire with a pulling force of 16 pounds. At a distance of 40 m, the arrow isn't supposed to reach the target at all. Everyone is always amazed when I manage to hit the target at all.

I'm definitely tempted to switch bow and participate in the Paralympics, but unfortunately, I can't hold it because of its weight.

I must be secured in the wheelchair as if wearing a corset. In archery, you have to keep your body in a fixed, stable position. You must not change your body position when firing, you can only turn your head and aim.

In addition to this, I also have a scoliosis. I sit a little rotated to the right. The back support therefore needs to support the scoliosis and promote symmetry as much as possible. And, of course, the wheelchair must also stand securely with as little movement as possible. Optimum stability is essential in archery.

The possibilities with the Etac wheelchair

Oliver from Etac and the company Tingelhoff showed me the possibilities with the Etac wheelchair. They arranged for me to try this with the 2B back support, which I currently use.

With the 2B back support, my seated position is far more relaxed, and without it I get problems with my spine after a short time. Using the 2B back support, I can move, rest, sit at my desk and I don't get any pain at all. It's a luxury back support for me. My back is in a position where it feels comfortable and I don't have to constantly correct my posture. I also have the Star air cell cushion from Etac, which for me is sitting perfection.

Now thanks to the support and comfort of the 2B back support, I feel supported to be able to live my life and to focus on my targets, like an arrow going straight to the target and me enjoying life.

And this is where team play triumphs. Now my wheelchair is adjusted to perfection. Me and Florian have worked together and we make a great team.

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