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Policy and Advocacy Initiatives to Promote the Benefits of Sports Participation for Individuals with Disability

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Adaptive Sports Medicine

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Abstract

Exercise provides a well-recognized foundation for health maintenance and chronic disease prevention for all individuals, and those with disabilities can equally benefit. Despite this knowledge, unfortunately, many health and physical activity disparities exist between individuals with disabilities and the general population. Despite the higher prevalence of chronic, noncommunicable diseases in people with disabilities such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease, studies reveal that this population is less likely to engage in essential physical activity to help decrease health risks. Additionally, participation in health and wellness promotion programs that could mitigate these risks is negatively impacted by various environmental, socioeconomic, and interpersonal barriers that disproportionately affect the disability community. Government regulations, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, protect the basic rights of individuals with disabilities and serve to facilitate participation in physical activity and sports participation. Meanwhile, many educational and public health policies exist to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities into all mainstream programs. Continued efforts are necessary to expand these opportunities for individuals with disabilities from the developmental to elite levels of the sport.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Architectural Barriers Act

ADA:

Americans with Disabilities Act

CDC:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CIFT:

Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainers

DOJ:

Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

DOT:

Department of Transportation

ECAC:

Eastern College Athletic Conference

IDEA:

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

NCAA:

National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCHPAD:

National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability

SCI:

Spinal Cord Injury

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Arizona Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Andrew Hills

  2. Spaulding Rehabilitation, Boston, MA, USA

    Cheri Blauwet

  3. Mayo Clinic Department of PM&R, Rochester, MN, USA

    Anthony E. Kilgore Jr & Arthur Jason De Luigi

Authors
  1. Anthony E. Kilgore Jr
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  2. Andrew Hills
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  3. Cheri Blauwet
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  4. Arthur Jason De Luigi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anthony E. Kilgore Jr .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA

    Arthur Jason De Luigi

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Kilgore, A.E., Hills, A., Blauwet, C., De Luigi, A.J. (2023). Policy and Advocacy Initiatives to Promote the Benefits of Sports Participation for Individuals with Disability. In: De Luigi, A.J. (eds) Adaptive Sports Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44285-8_35

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44285-8_35

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-44284-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-44285-8

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