Paralympic athletes 'boost' performance by breaking toes, electrocuting their legs or twisting their scrotum

These are just some of the lengths that athletes with spinal injuries will go to increase their maximum performance by forcing a rise in blood pressure.

Known as 'boosting', the practice emulates the natural rise in blood pressure experienced during exercise by  those without spinal injury. However, in doing so the athletes are putting their health on the line as they enter a state of 'autonomic dysreflexia' which can lead to permanent damage to the blood vessels in the eyes or lungs and potentially to a fatal stroke.

Despite being banned a survey of paralmpians who competed in Beijing revealed it continues.

"Participants were specifically asked the question: "Have you ever intentionally induced autonomic dysreflexia to boost your performance in training or competition?"

Of the 60 participants who responded, 10 (16.7%) responded affirmatively while 50 (83.3%) responded negatively.

All the positive responses were obtained from the male participants, with the majority competing in wheelchair rugby (55.5%), followed by wheelchair marathon (22.2%) and long distance racing (22.2%)"

Via: BBC News