A review of adaptive sport opportunities for power wheelchair users

Abstract

Purpose

To identify adaptive sports opportunities for individuals who use powered wheelchairs for their primary means of mobility, and to determine barriers and facilitators for new sporting opportunities.

Materials and methods

A structured literature review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature and analysis of major adaptive sport competitions information. Pubmed and Scopus were searched for the phrases “Power wheelchair sports” and “complex disability sport” to identify articles discussing competitive sport opportunities for power wheelchair users. Also, the websites and instructional materials were searched to identify what sports exist for power wheelchair users in the Paralympics, the National Veteran Wheelchair Games, the Invictus Games and the Warrior Games.

Results

Eleven articles were found from Pubmed and Scopus which met the criteria, most of which were focused on power soccer. The search for sport opportunities from the four major competitions found few events where someone using a power wheelchair could participate, most of which involve a stationary chair during competition (e.g., archery, billiards).

Conclusions

This literature review identified few programs for sports for people who use power wheelchairs. Many challenges such as lack of appropriate technology, lack of programs, and challenging classification categories all interact to contribute to this problem. Opportunities exist for better and more appropriate technology to be developed and for new and innovative sports and rules to be adopted for these athletes to benefit more from sport and recreation.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Athletes with complex disabilities and high support needs are not provided with the same opportunities as other athletes.

• Challenges such as insufficient technology, lack of programs, and challenging classification categories all interact to contribute to the lack of opportunities.

• Opportunities exist for better and more appropriate technology to be developed and for new and innovative sports and rules to be adopted for athletes with complex disabilities and high support needs to benefit more from sport and recreation.

Keywords:

• Adaptive sports
• power wheelchair
• high support needs
• disabled athletes

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

The contents of this paper do not represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supporting in part by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (1 I50 RX002998-01, B9269-L), and the National Institute of Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (#H133P140012).