Delving into the role of adaptive sports in neurorehabilitation: focus on hospital and community-based settings
(2024)
Files
ManuscriptLouiseDeclerck.pdf
Restricted Access - Adobe PDF
- 4.04 MB
Details
- Authors
- Supervisors
- Abstract
- Disorders or conditions of the nervous system, including stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and others, are becoming increasingly prevalent. Physical activity is a considered to be a key contributor to their physical and mental wellbeing. However, research shows that individuals presenting with physical impairments due to neurological conditions tend to display high levels of physical inactivity, and adopt sedentary lifestyles. A solution to this public health issue is to ensure enjoyable experience of physical activity in order to maintain long-term motivation and involvement. This could be achieved through adaptive sports, a sub-type of physical activity. Adaptive sports could therefore be an interesting tool in neurorehabilitation, but, thus far, its rehabilitative effects remain poorly researched and understood. Moreover, the implementation of adaptive sports in both medical and community-based settings have not been explored. In this thesis, we have adopted two main research paths to address this gap of knowledge. First, a systematic review and a longitudinal study were performed in order to investigate the effects of adaptive sports among individuals with various neurological conditions. Second, surveys were conducted and directed towards different stakeholders within the medical and sporting world, to depict the current development and use of adaptive sports. Barriers which limit this development were identified, and potential solutions were suggested. Altogether, the evidence collected within the scope of the thesis supports the wide-spread use of adaptive sports within neurorehabilitation, and urges policy-makers and stakeholders in hospital and community-based settings to work together towards achieving this goal. The thesis furthers opens exciting research and practical avenues.
- Affiliations
Citations
Declerck, L. (2024). Delving into the role of adaptive sports in neurorehabilitation: focus on hospital and community-based settings. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/233168