The 1988 Winter Paralympic Games (German: Paralympische Winterspiele 1988) were the fourth Winter Paralympics, held again in Innsbruck, Austria. The Winter Paralympics first began on 18 January at 6pm and ended a week later on 25 January at 4pm. These were the last Winter Paralympics to be held in a separate location from the Summer Paralympic Games. Beginning in 1992, the Olympics and the Paralympics were held in the same city or in an adjacent city. These Winter Paralympics were not held at the same Olympic venue in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, due to the lack of manpower and financial difficulties.

A total of 377 athletes from 22 countries took part in. The USSR competing for the very first time in history. Australia only managed to take 5 athletes to the 1988 Winter Paralympics for the Alpine skiing competition. There were four different sports apart of the 1988 Winter Paralympic Games; Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Cross-Country skiing and Ice Sledge Hockey. Biathlon and sit-skiing in the Alpine and Nordic competition were added to the Olympic program for the first time in history.

Just like the previous 1984 Winter Olympic games there was another shortage of snow in the valleys and mountains surrounding Innsbruck. Organisers were forced to put in extra work to move both the Alpine and Nordic events to venues which had higher altitudes.

All athletes who participated were classed in impairment groups of; Amputees, Blind and Visually Impaired, Cerebral Palsied, Les Autres and Spinal Cord Injuries.

Overall Norway finished on top of the medal ladder with 25 gold, 21 silvers and 14 bronze, whilst host nation Austria came in second followed by Germany, Finland and Sweden.

The 1988 Winter Paralympics Ceremony began on 18 January at 6pm where the games were officially opened by Dr Kurt Walkdheim, President of Austria at the time. The ceremony took place in the same place as the 1984 Paralympic Games, the Innsbruck Olympic Ice Stadium. The Paralympic flame was lit by Josef Meusberger and Brigitte Rajchl, two Austrian Alpine Skiers. The oath was taken by another Austrian Olympian, Josef Griel who competed in Ice Sledge Hockey.

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