Abstract
Objectives
To investigate sports participation among individuals in the HandbikeBattle project 1.5–5.5 years after the event, the barriers and facilitators to sport participation and benefits of participating in the event.
Setting
Former participants of the HandbikeBattle, a handcycling race on an Austrian mountain.
Methods
Handcyclists who took part in one or more HandbikeBattle events in 2013–2017 were invited to complete a survey in December 2018. Questions were asked on benefits of participating in this event, current sport participation, and experienced barriers and facilitators regarding current sport participation.
Results
Respondents (N = 96 (N = 59 with spinal cord injury (SCI) or Spina Bifida (SB)), response rate = 47%) reported benefits from this event regarding their fitness level (90%), personal development (81%), daily life activities (66%), and health (64%). Median current sport participation was 5 h/week (IQR: 3–8). Most frequently indicated personal barriers for sports participation were: lack of time (31%), disability (17%), and pain (15%). Most frequently mentioned environmental barriers were: transportation time to sport accommodation (19%), and lack of peers to do sports with (16%). Most important facilitators were motivation to improve health and/or fitness (92%), fun and/or relaxation (85%). The results for the subgroup with SCI were comparable with the results of the total group.
Conclusions
Results highlight the role sports challenges can have in establishing a sustainable active life lifestyle among people with disabilities.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
van den Berg-Emons RJ, Bussmann JB, Stam HJ. Accelerometry-based activity spectrum in persons with chronic physical conditions. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010;91:1856–61.
Jaarsma EA, Dijkstra PU, Geertzen JH, Dekker R. Barriers to and facilitators of sports participation for people with physical disabilities: a systematic review. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24:871–81.
Stephens C, Neil R, Smith P. The perceived benefits and barriers of sport in spinal cord injured individuals: a qualitative study. Disabil Rehabil. 2012;34:2061–70.
de Groot S, Post MW, Snoek GJ, Schuitemaker M, van der Woude LH. Longitudinal association between lifestyle and coronary heart disease risk factors among individuals with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord. 2013;51:314–8.
van Koppenhagen CF, Post M, de Groot S, van Leeuwen C, van Asbeck F, Stolwijk-Swuste J, et al. Longitudinal relationship between wheelchair exercise capacity and life satisfaction in patients with spinal cord injury: a cohort study in the Netherlands. J Spinal Cord Med. 2014;37:328–37.
Martin Ginis KA, van der Scheer JW, Latimer-Cheung AE, Barrow A, Bourne C, Carruthers P, et al. Evidence-based scientific exercise guidelines for adults with spinal cord injury: an update and a new guideline. Spinal Cord. 2018;56:308–21.
de Groot S, Postma K, van Vliet L, Timmermans R, Valent LJ. Mountain time trial in handcycling: exercise intensity and predictors of race time in people with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord. 2014;52:455–61.
de Groot S, Kouwijzer I, Baauw M, Broeksteeg R, Valent LJ. Effect of self-guided training for the HandbikeBattle on body composition in people with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2018;4:79.
Hoekstra S, Valent L, Gobets D, van der Woude L, de Groot S. Effects of four-month handbike training under free-living conditions on physical fitness and health in wheelchair users. Disabil Rehabil. 2017;39:1581–8.
Kouwijzer I, de Groot S, van Leeuwen CM, Valent LJ, van Koppenhagen CF, van der Woude LH, et al. Changes in quality of life during training for the HandbikeBattle and associations with cardiorespiratory fitness. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2020;101:1017–24.
Jaarsma EA, Geertzen JH, de Jong R, Dijkstra PU, Dekker R. Barriers and facilitators of sports in Dutch Paralympic athletes: an explorative study. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24:830–6.
Shirazipour CH, Evans MB, Leo J, Lithopoulos A, Martin Ginis KA, Latimer-Cheung AE. Program conditions that foster quality physical activity participation experiences for people with a physical disability: a systematic review. Disabil Rehabil. 2020;42:147–55.
Colon-Semenza C, Latham NK, Quintiliani LM, Ellis TD. Peer coaching through mHealth targeting physical activity in people with Parkinson disease: feasibility study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2018;6:e42.
Ginis KA, Nigg CR, Smith AL. Peer-delivered physical activity interventions: an overlooked opportunity for physical activity promotion. Transl Behav Med. 2013;3:434–43.
Caron JG, Martin Ginis KA, Rocchi M, Sweet SN. Development of the measure of experiential aspects of participation for people with physical disabilities. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2019;100:67–77.
Duijf M, van den Berg S, van Houten J, Wendel-Vos W, Hiemstra A, Duijvestijn M. Een leven lang bewegen en sporten. 2017. https://www.allesoversport.nl/artikel/een-leven-lang-bewegen-en-sporten/.
Jaarsma EA, Dekker R, Geertzen JH, Dijkstra PU. Sports participation after rehabilitation: barriers and facilitators. J Rehabil Med. 2016;48:72–9.
Mat Rosly M, Halaki M, Mat Rosly H, Davis GM, Hasnan N, Husain R. Malaysian adaptation of the physical activity scale for individuals with physical disabilities in individuals with spinal cord injury. Disabil Rehabil. 2019:1–9.
Vissers M, van den Berg-Emons R, Sluis T, Bergen M, Stam H, Bussmann H. Barriers to and facilitators of everyday physical activity in persons with a spinal cord injury after discharge from the rehabilitation centre. J Rehabil Med. 2008;40:461–7.
Wu SK, Williams T. Factors influencing sport participation among athletes with spinal cord injury. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33:177–82.
van den Berg-Emons RJ, L’Ortye AA, Buffart LM, Nieuwenhuijsen C, Nooijen CF, Bergen MP, et al. Validation of the physical activity scale for individuals with physical disabilities. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011;92:923–8.
Acknowledgements
The assistance of Wies Achtereekte during the data collection is greatly appreciated.
HandbikeBattle group
Bram van Gemeren9, Mark van de Mijll Dekker10, Karin Postma11, Linda van Vliet12, Misha Metsaars13, Eric Helmantel14, Lise Wilders15, Maremka Zwinkels16, Paul Grandjean17, Selma Overbeek18, Wilbert Snoek19, Alinda Gjaltema20
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Consortia
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Members of the HandbikeBattle group are listed below Acknowledgements.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Groot, S., Kouwijzer, I., Valent, L. et al. Sport participation after the HandbikeBattle: benefits, barriers, facilitators from the event—a follow-up survey. Spinal Cord Ser Cases 6, 54 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-020-0301-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-020-0301-x
This article is cited by
-
Acute physiological comparison of sub-maximal exercise on a novel adapted rowing machine and arm crank ergometry in people with a spinal cord injury
Spinal Cord (2022)
-
Adaptive Sports in Spinal Cord Injury: a Systematic Review
Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports (2022)
-
Exercise for people with SCI: so important but difficult to achieve
Spinal Cord (2021)
