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Participation rates in adapted sports and recreation (S&R) activities are steadily rising as new opportunities continue to be developed to better support the needs of individuals with disabilities. Despite this progress, youth and adults with disabilities face unique barriers to participation in S&R. Among the key barriers to participation in S&R, fear of injury and pain is commonly identified as a deterrent. While sport-related injuries are often considered an inevitable component of the sporting experience, research has found that they are often predictable and therefore, largely preventable. Unfortunately, there is an extreme lack of injury data in adapted S&R and as such, we know little about how to tailor prevention strategies effectively. Existing work has strictly focused on elite or Paralympic level athletes and is most often limited to evaluation during international competitions, not inclusive of training/practice. Thus, we are working with adaptive and inclusive sport organizations in the city of Calgary and around the world to better understand the burden of injury, as well as the risk factors of injuries, including concussion, in adaptive S&R. Through this work, we aim to develop a more comprehensive understanding of injuries that can inform more safe and inclusive practices moving forward.

• ACHF
• CAH (Jumpstart)
• Community Sport Partners