[4][5] At the age of 39 she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome (SPS), a neurological disease that results in her needing to use a wheelchair as it makes walking painful and causes seizures and spasms.
[7] At the 2008 World Wheelchair Curling Championship held in Sursee, Switzerland, she was part of the American team that won the bronze medal.
[9] Kapinowski was selected as part of the United States team for the 2010 Winter Paralympics held in Vancouver.
[2] In 2011, she finished ninth in the trunk and arms mixed double sculls event at the World Rowing Championships held in Bled, Slovenia.
[2] At the 2015 World Rowing Championships held at Lac d'Aiguebelette, Aiguebelette in France, she finished second in the B final, eighth overall, to secure the United States team a quota position for the women's single skulls at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
[11] At the US Olympic and Paralympic rowing team trials held in Sarasota, Florida in April 2016, Kapinowski won the women's arms and shoulders single sculls (ASW1x) event, confirming her qualification to compete in Rio.