page_title: F55 (classification)
section_title: F5
hierarchical_section_title: F55 (classification) / Disability groups / Spinal cord injuries / F5
caption_attribution_description: English: Comparing key muscle innervations for spinal cord levels compared to cycling and athletics classifications.
context_page_description: F55 is a disability sport classification for disability athletics for people who compete in field events from a seated position. Sportspeople in this class have full arm function, partial trunk function and no lower limb function. Different disability groups compete in this class, including people with spinal cord injuries. The classification was previously known as lower 3, upper 4.
context_section_description: This is wheelchair sport classification that corresponds to the neurological level T8 - L1. In the past, this class was known as Lower 3, or Upper 4.  Disabled Sports USA defined the anatomical definition of this class in 2003 as, "Normal upper limb function. Have abdominal muscles and spinal extensors (upper or more commonly upper and lower). May have non-functional hip flexors (grade 1). Have no abductor function."
  People in this class have good sitting balance. People with lesions located between T9 and T12 have some loss of abdominal muscle control. Disabled Sports USA defined the functional definition of this class in 2003 as, "Three trunk movements may be seen in this class: 1)  Off the back of a chair (in an upwards direction).   2)  Movement in the backwards and forwards plane.   3)  Some trunk rotation. They have fair to good sitting balance. They cannot have functional hip flexors, i.e. ability to lift the thigh upwards in the sitting position. They may have stiffness of the spine that improves balance but reduces the ability to rotate the spine."
  Field events open to this class have included shot put, discus and javelin. In pentathlon, the events for this class have included Shot, Javelin, 200m, Discus, 1500m. F5 athletes throw from a seated position, and use a javelin that weighs .6 kilograms (1.3 lb). The shot put used by women in this class weighs less than the traditional one at 3 kilograms (6.6 lb). Athletes in this class who good trunk control and mobility have an advantage over athletes in the same class who have less functional trunk control and mobility.  This functional difference can cause different performance results within the same class, with discus throwers with more control in a class able to throw the discus further.
  There are performance differences and similarities between this class and other wheelchair classes. A study of javelin throwers in 2003 found that F5 throwers have angular speeds of the shoulder girdle similar to that of F3 to F9 throwers. A 1999 study of discus throwers found that for F5 to F8 discus throwers, the upper arm tends to be near horizontal at the moment of release of the discus. F5 to F7 discus throwers have greater angular speed of the shoulder girdle during release of the discus than the lower number classes of F2 to F4. F5 and F8 discus throwers have less average angular forearm speed than F2 and F4 throwers.  F2 and F4 speed is caused by use of the elbow flexion to compensate for the shoulder flexion advantage of F5 to  F8 throwers.
  A study of was done comparing the performance of athletics competitors at the 1984 Summer Paralympics.  It found there was little significant difference in performance in distance between women in 1C (SP3, SP4), 2 (SP4) and 3 (SP4, SP5) in the javelin. It found there was little significant difference in performance in time between women in 1C (SP3, SP4), 2 (SP4) and 3 in the 60 meters. It found there was little significant difference in performance in distance between women in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the discus. It found there was little significant difference in performance in distance between women in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the shot put. It found there was little significant difference in performance in time between women in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the 60 meters. It found there was little significant difference in performance in time between women in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the 200 meters. It found there was little significant difference in performance in time between women in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the 400 meters. It found there was little significant difference in performance in time between women in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the slalom. It found there was little significant difference in performance in distance between men in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the discus. It found there was little significant difference in performance in distance between men in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the javelin. It found there was little significant difference in performance in distance between men in 2 (SP4) and 3 in the shot put. It found there was little significant difference in performance in time between
caption: Comparing key muscle innervations for spinal cord levels compared to cycling and athletics classifications.
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