A 12-week web-based physical activity (PA) intervention was designed based on the World Health Organisation's (2020) guidelines, to promote PA for adults with intellectual disability (ID) and create an alternative way to participate in PA during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore how the participants perceived PA and health in general, and how these perceptions were affected by participation in the web-based PA intervention. The study was conducted with a pragmatic qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews pre- and post-intervention. Twenty-eight individuals in Sweden participated in the intervention, and seventeen of these were interviewed. The analysis revealed two key themes. Theme 1, "a sense of being 'stuck on the couch'" encapsulated the participants' pre-intervention experiences and included the subthemes of "inactive lifestyle", "understanding health benefits from PA", and "feeling unwell and out of shape". Theme 2, "motivation to enjoy 'the ride of' a web-based PA program" captured the participants' post-intervention experiences, including the subthemes of "feeling healthier", "social support", "mastering or not", and "multifactorial individual needs". This study highlights the potential of web-based PA as an accessible tool that meets the individual needs and promotes participation, motivation and enjoyment among adults with ID.
Special Olympics provides health and sport opportunities to more than 4 million individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Participation in physical activity can promote components of physical fitness in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Health-related physical fitness is closely associated with physical activity, yet individuals with disabilities are less likely to meet physical activity recommendations than the general public. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between physical fitness and physical activity during gameplay among Special Olympics athletes who participated in the 2022 Unified Cup in Detroit, Michigan. On-field physical activity and physical fitness data were collected from 70 Special Olympics athletes (male = 34; female = 36) during group-stage gameplay at the 2022 Unified Cup. Adequate or "healthy" performance on physical fitness components ranged from 47% to 97%. Associations between on-field physical activity and components of physical fitness were observed for hamstring flexibility, handgrip strength, blood pressure, and weight status. The strongest association observed was between on-field physical activity and athlete sex; thus, all analyses were conducted for the full sample and stratified by sex. These findings highlight the varying levels of physical fitness in Special Olympics athletes and suggest that several fitness components may relate to soccer gameplay. Findings should be utilized to reassess measurements and physical fitness evaluation in Healthy Athletes Screenings at Special Olympics events.
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more at risk for lower levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to peers without ASD. This study examined voluntary participation in parkour recess, which was tied to physical education, and MVPA in both settings between children with and without ASD in general education. Second-grade elementary school children (N = 87, mean age = 7 years, 36 girls, 51 boys), of which five children with ASD (2 girls, 3 boys), followed a 10-lesson unit parkour during physical education and could voluntary participate in 10 parkour recess sessions. Four out of five children with ASD participated regularly in parkour recess (80-100%). On average children with ASD had lower MVPA levels than their peers during physical education, while they achieved over 50% of MVPA during parkour recess. Connecting physical education content with organised recess sessions is a promising public health strategy for children with ASD.
Modified dance for people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an emerging adjunct neurorehabilitation technique. The aim of this review is to describe the characteristics of dance programs developed for people with TBI, and to examine how stakeholders perceive these programs. Eight databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses) were searched for studies on dance and TBI. Seven eligible articles were identified, involving a total of 22 dance participants with TBI and a further three people with TBI in a control group. The most common dance techniques used were dance movement therapy, improvisation, meditative movement, and mirroring. Modifications to programs included one-on-one delivery, individual tailoring with strategies to assist with cognitive or mobility barriers, and support from clinicians or assistants. Overall, the dance programs were feasible to deliver and acceptable to participants. Three studies revealed mixed evidence of efficacy in terms of motor fitness outcomes (e.g., balance and mobility), and there was insufficient evidence for efficacy in terms of cognition, neuroplasticity, and psychosocial outcomes. The review makes recommendations to enhance the safety and sustainability of dance for the neurorehabilitation population and to improve the standardized reporting of program design and execution to advance the field.
To date, the practices and experiences of participants in guided sports- physical activities involving people with sight loss and sighted guides - have been predominantly researched in small-scale, ethnographic studies. While these studies offer an important first step in detailing often powerful, compelling and personal stories, they are also limited by the potential for producing findings that only reflect 'part of the broader story'. As a second step to build on these accounts, this paper explores practices and experiences of a wider group of guided sport participants (n=56) through an online qualitative survey. The findings offer insights into why people engage in such activities, how they typically connect with one another and what their experiences are like when practicing sports together. The data contains numerical and open-ended responses, which were analysed descriptively and thematically. Based on this, we suggest future steps for research which extends this work and will help those involved in organising and promoting guided sports and enhance their efforts to make such activities more enjoyable, inclusive and accessible.
