1. Find Your Strength through Adaptive Sports & Recreation

2. Kathleen Salas, PT, MHA
Program Coordinator, Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers – North Shore 2010
Program goals?
From rehab to recreation
Erase hurdles: “just do it”
Rethink “athletes”
Access to a healthy lifestyle & social community

3. Sasc.spauldingrehab.org

5. Brief History of Inclusion
1800s Perkin’s School for the Blind-1st P.E. program
1930s public schools created separate gym classes
1950s Kennedy Foundation attention on cognitive disabilities
1972 IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act=equal educational opportunities
1990 Americans with Disabilities Act: mobility-related mandates: equal access to gyms, parks & recreation (trail width, picnic table height, pools, golf)

6. Brief History of Adaptive Sports
1924 – Deaflympics
Veterans post WW2 led to rise
in wheelchair basketball
1948 International Paralympic
Committee -> first Summer Games
Returning Vietnam Vets & new amputees founded National Handicapped Sports and Recreation Association in 1968; skiing
Special Olympics also founded 1968
2013 US Dep’t of Education: Equal access to school sports for the disabled! .

7. Risk factors greater for those living with a disability
“25% of Americans > age 5 have at least one disability.
Only 12% of adults with a disability meet the minimum physical activity recommendations:
-30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 or more days/week OR
-20 minutes rigorous activity at least 3x/ week.
Physical inactivity among people with disability linked to an increase in its severity and a decrease in community involvement”
Centers for Disease Control 2010

8. SURVEY RESULTS: Self reported physical benefits from participation (SASC - Boston)
Physical Factors
Mean Improvement
Standard Deviation
Flexibility
58.3%
2.6%
Strength
68.0%
2.4%
Endurance
68.4%
2.3%
Balance
61.4%
Bobbi Delaney BS, PT¹, Anthony Guarino PhD², Lynne Brady Wagner MA, CCC-SLP¹, Pamela Levangie DSc, DPT, FAPTA²
¹Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, Boston, MA and ²MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA

9. Self perceived emotional benefits from adaptive sports and recreation
(SASC - Boston)
Emotional Factors
Mean Improvement
Standard Deviation
Confidence
83.8%
1.8%
Self-Esteem
Mood
85.0%
2.1%
Bobbi Delaney BS, PT¹, Anthony Guarino PhD², Lynne Brady Wagner MA, CCC-SLP¹, Pamela Levangie DSc, DPT, FAPTA²
¹Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, Boston, MA and ²MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA

10. Who can participate? “Minimum Eligibility” Transfer with help
Sit for > 30 min
Communication/signals
Precautions & risks:
Skin, infections, oxygen use
Contraindications?
Post-operative specifics and water sports

11. What makes activities adaptive?
Specialized gear
Equipment modifications
Environment considerations +
Individualized teaching for
student’s learning style & pace
Brainstorming with clients
Focus on abilities
=Empowerment

12. What activities can be adapted and how?
Example #1: Cycling
Recumbent LE trikes
Pedal, breaking, and shifting modifications
Tandem capability

13. How do we adapt equipment?
Handcycles
Seat & posture adaptations
Pedal grip modifications

14. How do we adapt equipment?
#2: Kayaking
Seat modifications
Paddle grip adaptations

15. How do we adapt equipment?
#4: Therapeutic Riding
Saddle options
Rein adaptations
Lead +
2 side walkers
Mondays in Boxford

16. How do we adapt equipment?
#6: Rock Climbing
Harnesses
Hoyer-like chair
chest or legs
Grip support
Ascending devices
& pullbars
LVO January
Quincy Quarries April 16

17. How do we adapt equipment?
#7: Golf
Solo rider golf cart
Grip support
1 arm & other clubs
Ergonomics
Indoor “BITS” Reading
Outdoor “BITS”
Marblehead
Lynnfield
Middleton

18. How do we adapt equipment?
# 8: Court Sports
Sport Wheelchairs: cambered wheels, wide base, quick turning radius
USPTA Harvard Univ
LVO March/April Tues
5:30 to 7:00 pm

19. How do we adapt equipment?
# 9: Archery
Grip support
Bow support/mount
Mouth bite
Target distance
Danvers

20.
North Shore Wednesdays, June through September!
Thursdays Golf
Opportunities to be active
Challenges + benefits
Multi-disciplinary team
Rec. Therapy + OT + PT
Remove barriers ($, transport)
Kathleen Comfort Salas, Coordinator
Spaulding Adaptive Sports Center, North Shore
Phone: