Symposium 8.4 - Disability sport in Switzerland – from daily physical activity to participation in organised sport

Abstract

Individuals with disability (IWDs) are less physically active than the general population worldwide, including Europe and Switzerland. This is a concern, as this population often encounters multimorbidity and face increased challenges and barriers to physical activity (PA), despite PA being particularly important for their bio-psycho-social health. While some research focuses on elite sport participation, critical knowledge gaps persist regarding daily PA levels and participation in organised sport.

This symposium addresses these critical gaps by integrating findings from three distinct studies focusing on PA and sport involvement among IWDs populations in Switzerland. Presentation one provides insights on daily PA level using innovative wheelchair metrics in wheelchair users. The second presentation uses multilevel and random forest analysis to identify individual and structural factors influencing wheelchair sports groups adherence and participation intention in people with physical disability. Presentation three qualitatively explores the experiences and motivations of individuals with mental health disorders participating in voluntary sport groups, presenting insights from both participants and their coaches.

The symposium will outline routes to increase IWDs participation in daily PA and organised sport. These findings underscore the profound benefits for individual health and well-being, as well as for society through the reduction of physical inactivity costs.