Adaptive Sports for Disabled Veterans [Internet]

The term “adaptive sports” is used to describe a sport that has either been adapted specifically for persons with a disability or created specifically for persons with a disability. For persons with physical disabilities, organized sports can be traced back to the early 1900s. However, opportunities expanded greatly in the post-World War II era, when adaptive sports began to be used for rehabilitation of Veterans. Many of the early programs were in downhill skiing but the range of available sports and opportunities for participation at all levels, from recreational to competitive, has broadened greatly.Within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the vision of the National Veteran Sports Programs and Special Events (NVSP&SE) office is “to be leaders in the provision of adaptive sports and therapeutic arts programs that complement VA’s rehabilitation system of care for Veterans and members of the Armed Forces with disabilities.” The national rehabilitation events are intended to “provide opportunities for Veterans to improve their independence, well-being, and quality of life through adaptive sports and therapeutic arts programs.”The purpose of this report is to systematically review the available evidence on the benefits and harms of adaptive sports participation and the barriers to and facilitators of participation.