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Introduction: Sport for people with disabilities has interested scientists for a long time. However, there is a scarcity of research on the subject of amputee football – football adapted to individuals after amputations. The aim of the study was to describe this sport and to review research carried out in this field so far.

The aim of this study was to assess wheelchair skills of persons with physical disabilities who attended the first Wheelchair Skills and Empowerment Camp in Morocco and their satisfaction with manual wheelchairs provided for the camp activities. 19 persons (13 male and 6 female) with physical disabilities took part in the project. The average time since injury or illness was 24 years. To assess wheelchair skills/user satisfaction, the researchers used the Queensland Evaluation of Wheelchair Skills test and the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology. Study participants improved their overall wheelchair mobility skills (p = 0.002; d = 0.20), especially their ability to ascend and descend a ramp (p = 0.012; d = 0.67). The participants reported significantly greater satisfaction with the new provided wheelchairs in comparison to their own wheelchairs in regard to five satisfaction items; i.e., ease in adjusting (p = 0.011; d = 0.96), safety and security (p = 0.014; d = 0.97), durability (p = 0.037; d = 0.81), ease to use (p = 0.045; d = 0.87), and comfort (p = 0.006; d = 1.03). Findings of this study indicate that persons with physical disabilities in Morocco need structured training in wheelchair skills and better-quality wheelchairs. The study also confirmed that community peer-based programmes in low-resource countries can play a significant role in rehabilitation of persons with physical disabilities, even many years after their injury or illness. The One World project educated local persons with disabilities and government officials about the need for buying appropriate wheelchairs and for providing them according to the World Health Organization guidelines. 19 persons who use wheelchairs participated in 6-days of wheelchair skills training sessions, which were led by three peer mentors who use a wheelchair: two with spinal cord injury, and one with polio complications. The 19 participants, who had lived with their disabilities on average for 24 years, advanced their general wheelchair mobility skills, which was assessed through a practical test. The results confirmed that community peer-based programmes in low-resource countries are important for improving wheelchair skills not only when beginning rehabilitation but even after individuals live many years with a disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes dysfunction of many basic functions of a human body (e.g. sensory and motor paralysis) and may result in the occurrence of dangerous health complications (e.g. bedsores) which may contribute to a decrease in the quality of life in individuals with such injuries. In order to adjust to a new situation, persons with SCI have to acquire proper knowledge regarding pathophysiology of SCI, medical and social effects of the injury and, in particular, prevention of post-injury complications. Therefore, this study sought to assess the relationship between knowledge about health status and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in individuals with SCI.

Appropriate wheelchair provision is necessary for addressing participation barriers experienced by individuals with mobility impairments. Health care professionals involved in the wheelchair service provision process require a specific set of skills and knowledge to enable wheelchair use that meets individual posture, mobility and daily living requirements. However, inconsistencies exist in academic programmes globally about providing comprehensive education and training programmes. The planned scoping review aims to review and synthesize the global literature on wheelchair service provision education for healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators offered by universities, organizations and industries. This scoping review will be guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodological framework. Comprehensive literature searches will be conducted on various global electronic databases on health to seek out how wheelchair service provision education is organized, integrated, implemented and evaluated. Two independent reviewers will perform eligibility decisions and key data extractions. Data from selected studies will be extracted and analysed using conventional content analysis. Information related to wheelchair service provision education including curriculum development, content, teaching methods, evaluation and models of integration will be synthesized. The planned scoping review will be the first to examine all aspects of wheelchair service provision education across professionals, settings and countries. We anticipate that results will inform the content of a Wheelchair Educators' Package, and if appropriate, a follow-up systematic review. An article reporting the results of the scoping review will be submitted for publication to a scientific journal. A comprehensive examination of wheelchair service provision education could help develop strategies to address the unmet need for wheelchair services globally. Findings for this review will facilitate the planning and development of an evidence-based education package that could bridge the existing knowledge gaps related to safe and effective wheelchair service provision among health professionals involved. This review will also inform the potential barriers and enablers for effective integration and implementation of wheelchair service provision education worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigates the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on mental health, coping styles and their relationship, and training opportunities in elite athletes with disabilities (AwD) preparing for national and international sport events during a ten‐month observation period. Methods: The study covered four time points in 3‐month intervals, one retrospective, and three times during the 10 months of the pandemic period with diversified numbers of average new infections per day: A—pre‐pandemic, B—third wave of the pandemic (mean = 15 681), C—decrease of the pandemic (mean = 102), and D—fourth wave of the pandemic (mean = 22 591). Main outcome measures included the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: The models regarding changes in anxiety (F(3,72) = 22.43; p < 0.001; partial η2 = 0.48) and depression (F(3,72) = 23.82; p < 0.001; partial η2 = 0.50) over the four time points of examination were significant. The pattern of relationship between coping styles and mood changes during COVID‐19 pandemic periods, that is, a sudden increase in anxiety during dynamic growth of infections (waves of a pandemic) and a steady increase in depression over the course of the pandemic was not found. The difference in planned and actual training decreased significantly over time (p < 0.001). Conclusions: During the transitionary times of the COVID‐19 pandemic, both mental health and training opportunities of AwD were at increased risk. Individual coping styles used by AwD were insufficient resources to cope with the extreme stress caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Their mental health should be monitored in pandemics and similar situations to ensure appropriate and timely organizational and psychological intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aimed to collate and summarize available research literature about wheelchair service provision education available to healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings. The Joanna Briggs Institute methodological steps for scoping reviews were followed. Included studies were mainly sourced from Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Academic Search Complete and ProQuest. Independent title, abstract and full-text screening with defined inclusion and exclusion criteria was performed. All screening and extraction were performed independently by two authors. A thematic approach was used to synthesize results. Data extracted from included studies were charted according to a template that we created. The study quality was also appraised. A total of 25 articles were included (11, 36% from high-income settings) with 12 (48%) observational studies and 13 (52%) experimental studies. The literature addressed three main topics: (1) assessing wheelchair service provision knowledge, (2) implementing training interventions using in-person, online and/or hybrid learning approaches and (3) describing current wheelchair service provision education globally. The most frequently reported training programs used were the Wheelchair Skills Program and the World Health Organization Wheelchair Service Training Package – Basic Level. Limited information has been published about the integration of wheelchair content into the curricula of professional rehabilitation programs. Efforts to build international partnerships, improve the quality and currency of training programs and build resources that can assist educators in the integration of wheelchair-related content into professional rehabilitation programs should be prioritized. This is the first review that examined and synthesized the current state of wheelchair service provision education for rehabilitation students and personnel across low- to high-income countries. Findings from this review indicate that there is limited information about the integration of wheelchair-related content into professional rehabilitation programs. Efforts to build international partnerships, standardize wheelchair service provision content and evaluation and integrate training into professional rehabilitation programs worldwide should be prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this study was to assess the level of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and its differentiation across the seasons among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). The additional aim was to determine whether socio-demographical, injury, and seasonal factors are determinants of LTPA. This study included 51 adults with SCI, who completed the LTPA questionnaire for persons with SCI during a calendar year in the middle of four seasons, and demographic questionnaire. A multiple regression analysis was used to examine the role of socio-demographical, injury, and seasonal variables, as determinants of LTPA. The levels of LTPA were differentiated throughout the seasons. Three models containing variables related to LTPA were created. All models were significant, for mild LTPA (F = 10.01, r2 = 0.21), moderate LTPA (F = 5.24, r2 = 0.9), and heavy LTPA (F = 7.09, r2 = 0.6). Age at the time of study, lack of employment, tetraplegia, and shorter time since injury were significantly, negatively associated with LTPA. LTPA in persons with SCI differs significantly in relation to the seasons throughout a year. The season of the year should be considered in future studies and interventions on LTPA in adults with SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined interrelationships among athletic identity, sport participation, and psychological adjustment in a sample of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Participants (N = 1,034) completed measures of athletic identity, life satisfaction, anxiety, depression, and demographic and sport participation variables. Current amount of weekly sport participation was positively related to athletic identity when statistically controlling for age, gender, and pre-SCI amount of weekly sport participation. Being able to practice one's favorite sport after SCI was associated with higher levels of athletic identity and better psychological adjustment. Team sport participants reported experiencing better psychological adjustment than individual sport participants did. The findings suggest that social factors are important in the link between sport participation and psychological adjustment in people with SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to investigate "athletic identity" in people with spinal cord injury (SCI), using the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 7-item version, and to identify reasons for and barriers to sports participation in this population. People with SCI (N = 678), even those competing as athletes, reported lower levels of athletic identity than able-bodied adults and adolescents with physical disabilities. AIMS scores varied according to gender, athlete status, and hours of sports participation per week. No relationship was found between athletic identity and depression, anxiety, or life satisfaction. Exploratory factor analysis did not support the 3-factor structure of the AIMS with this population, although internal consistency was good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Sports injuries in sport for the disabled and for the able-bodied have been the subject of research for a long time. To date, however, there have been no investigations on sports injuries in athletes who, due to their disability, are capable of moving on one leg only during a match. The aim of the study was to determine types, incidence and causes of sports injuries experienced by amputee football players. Material and Methods. Forty players from 4 amputee football clubs took part in the study, 18 of whom were members of the Polish National Amputee Football Team. The study included a record of sports injuries that were consulted as well as those that were not consulted with a doctor. Moreover, the Competitive Aggressiveness and Anger Scale and a personal survey were employed in the study. Results. In a 6-month observation period, 111 sports injuries were noted. Three of injuries required medical consultations. Abrasions constituted the largest group of injuries. Goalkeepers experienced injuries most often, whereas defensive players picked them up least frequently. The injury incidence rate was 0.045 per player per training day. Conclusions. Amputee football is a sport with a low risk of injury. Injuries not consulted with a doctor are the most common ones among amputee football players. The study was conducted during six months of Amp Football League. The next research should include entire Amp Football season i.e. preparatory period as well as competition period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Advances in Rehabilitation is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Our aim was to identify demographic, clinical and socioeconomic predictors of self-management in multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: The study was performed on a group of 283 patients with multiple sclerosis who completed Multiple Sclerosis Self-Management Scale – Revised (MSSM-R), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), Actually Received Support Scale (part of Berlin Social Support Scale), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Socioeconomic resources scale. Patients were recruited through cooperation with Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Centre in Borne Sulinowo and Polish Society of Multiple Sclerosis. Demographic and illness-related problems were determined with self-report survey.Results: The group consisted of 185 women and 98 men, with a mean age of 48 years. The level of disability and disease severity varied, mean time elapsed since MS diagnosis was 13 years. The final predictive model of self-management in MS was based on two main predictors: received support and available socioeconomic resources. Patients with MS who received adequate support from the closest relatives (R2 = 0.07,F(1, 279) = 21.84,p ≤ 0.01) and had larger available socioeconomic resources (R2 = 0.11,F(2, 278) = 17.06,p ≤ 0.01), turned out to be the most effective in self-management. Moreover, a relationship between self-management in MS and gender as well as monthly income attributable to one family member was documented.Conclusion: We identified a group of MS patients who are at an increased risk of poor self-management and therefore require more attention from medical staff. This group includes patients with low level of received support, low socioeconomic resources and to a lesser degree men, and also persons receiving low monthly income.Implications for RehabilitationSelf-management of chronic illness is a key component of active participation in rehabilitation process.Low self-management in multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered to be one of the most important factors contributing to low rehabilitation efficacy, more severe long-term complications and increase in healthcare costs.Knowledge on predictors of self-management should be used in clinical practice when providing treatment, support, education and rehabilitation for patients with MS.Increasing support and improving social conditions are potentially important targets for interventions aimed at optimization of self-management, and thereby reduction of health care costs and improvement of health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Physiotherapy / Fizjoterapia is the property of Physiotherapy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)