Date of Award

6-2024

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

M. Abbey Glenn OTD, OTR/L, BCG, ECHM

Second Advisor

Lacee Andrews OTD, OTR/L, CNS, AIB-VRC

Abstract

Background: Historically, people with disabilities have faced barriers to participating in meaningful occupations like adaptive sports. Despite the positive effects of adaptive sports, sport-induced injury can impede an individual’s functional independence. This capstone project aimed to evaluate the impact of individualized exercise programs on athletes’ perception of performance in winter adaptive sports, with a focus on injury prevention.

Methods: Two recurring High Country Adaptive Sports athletes participated. They provided consent to engage in a 10-week individualized home exercise program (HEP) prior to the 2024 ski season. They completed a pre-survey at the initial meeting and a post-survey upon completion of the HEP and after their last adaptive ski lesson. Weekly questionnaires were administered to monitor program adherence.

Results: Of the two athletes, only one completed the program in its entirety. Athlete A did not complete the 10-week program due to attrition. Athlete B demonstrated positive outcomes in all areas, including strength, confidence, happiness, and health, although bias may have been a contributing factor in her success.

Discussion: Further research is warranted to assess the impact of individualized exercise programs on the perception of performance in winter adaptive sports as well as the impact of HEPs on sports-induced injury. While the findings of this project are not generalizable, it is clear that the scope of the occupational therapy profession aligns with the goals of adaptive sports and authorizes additional research to be done to further validate how improving physical fitness levels can positively impact adaptive sports performance while simultaneously protect the athlete from sports-induced injury.

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