Oscar's mom his inspiration

Johannesburg - Oscar Pistorius's mother, Sheila, taught him from a young age how to deal with his physical disability, the athlete said on Monday.

Pistorius, whose legs were amputated below the knees when he was 11 months old, was speaking to a group of patients at the Natal Headway centre in Durban - a facility for the treatment of adults and children with head injuries.

"We never focused on disability in my family," he said.

"When I woke up, my mother told my brother to put on his shoes and me to put on my legs. It was never an issue in my family.

"Once, I forged my mom's signature to try and get out of a sports day but was caught out.

"That day she said to me a loser is not someone who comes last, a loser is someone who doesn't get involved in the first place."

Pistorius, 25, was joined at the centre by Paralympic hand-cycling gold medallist Ernst van Dyk and Springbok rugby player Tendai Mtawarira, who also spoke to patients.

The 'Blade Runner' and Van Dyk will compete this week at the Nedbank National Championships for the Physically Disabled in Durban.