[Photo: Paralympics Association] Champion sit-skier Matthew Stockford in a slalom competition.

Here at the ifyouski.com, we believe that skiing and snowboarding are for everyone. For those with special needs, winter sports offer a sense of freedom and independence, exhilaration and the opportunity to share holidays and experiences with non-disabled colleagues. There are a multitude of programs and approaches to help people with physical and mental disabilities enjoy the slopes. Deafness, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, hemiplegia, spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, amputation, blindness - none are barriers to enjoying our sport.

Specialised equipment is available to make the sport accessible for everyone, such as outrigger skis, flip-skis, canting wedges and sit-skis. Certain resorts, such as St Johann in Tirol, Winter Park in Colorado and Anzère in Switzerland are particularly appropriate because of their layout and access to the slopes.

In Britain, the Uphill Ski Club and the British Ski Club for the Disabled organise lessons and training sessions for people with disabilities at dry ski slopes, as well as holidays in the Alps. The charity Back-Up reintroduces spinally injured sportspeople to active sports.