Physical Activity With Individuals With Disabilities

Over recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on physical activity with individuals with disabilities (Goldberg, 1995). Similar to able-bodied athletes, individuals with disabilities experience health benefits from exercise and sport training. These benefits include physical and psychological benefits, such as general fitness, cardiovascular conditioning, cardiopulmonary endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, postural control, balance, , optimal musculoskeletal functioning motivation, self-confidence and self-esteem, personal adjustment, competitive spirit, decreased anxiety, and reduced tendency to withdraw (Goldberg, 1995; McCann, 1987). Participation in special needs athletics has dramatically increased every year, “with current participation estimated to be nearly 3.2 million in 160 countries” (Conatser, Augle, Stopka & Tillman, 2010). With this increased level of participation, there is a need for athletic trainers to be available to serve this population of athletes.
Like other athletes, special needs athletes need specialized services for injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. The injuries sustained by athletes with disabilities are comparable to able-bodied athletes, but there are some circumstances that demand specialized medical knowledge. Most AT’s have not received specialized didactic instruction or clinical experience to be confident in their ability to provide appropriate care. For example, the definition of disability and handicap is not even differentiated in most ATEP core curriculum. As clinicians, it is our job to be aware of the correct terminally used to describe and interact with these athletes. Therefore, a disability is any restriction, resulting from an impairment, of an ability t...

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... causing a possible loss of fertility should be mentioned before the athlete is allowed to participate.
Currently, the Athletic Training Educational Competencies do not specifically mention working with individuals who have intellectual disabilities, autism, or specific physical disabilities. Consequently, there is a growing need for more ATs who are knowledgeable about the special needs of athletes with disabilities. The professional preparation of ATs should include curricular content that is specific to athletes with disabilities and clinical experiences that provide opportunities to work with athletes with disabilities. Participation of ATs and athletic training students in community activities and events that involve athletes with disabilities should be encouraged in order to properly prepare for the special considerations associated with special needs athletes.