Functional Fashion

Rugby is hard-hitting, fast-moving and adrenaline-fueled. But for elite Paralympic wheelchair athletes, the sport also can pose particular challenges. Close-fitting apparel can be difficult to don and doff. Shirtsleeves, rubbed constantly by carbon fiber wheels, quickly fray. Most critically, spinal cord injuries can impair the body’s ability to regulate temperature during exercise.

Over the last several months, students at Washington University in St. Louis have worked to research, design and construct prototype garments specifically tailored to the needs of athletes with disabilities.