Physical activity (PA) benefits autistic1 individuals, yet barriers including limited support from PA professionals hinder PA engagement. Guided by the theory of planned behavior and the diffusion of innovations theory, this study used a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design to investigate the effectiveness and practicality of an e-learning program in changing PA professionals' intention and confidence to support autistic individuals in PA. PA professionals (N = 49) completed the Strong Minds Through Active Bodies e-learning program, as well as pre- and postevaluations. Results showed significant improvements in all theory of planned behavior constructs and positive feedback on the module's practicality. Tailored e-learning can enhance PA professionals' understanding and confidence in meeting the unique needs and preferences of autistic individuals in PA. Further research is warranted to understand how e-learning may be leveraged as a tool to foster more inclusive programs, ultimately encouraging greater participation by creating accessible and engaging PA environments that are supportive and conducive to active engagement for autistic individuals.

Sport administrators hold responsibility for implementing and managing parasport classification systems within national sport federations, yet they have called for guidance on how best to learn about and manage classification. This paper describes a consensus-based process, informed by the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument of developing novel, evidence-informed recommendations for the management of classification by national sport federations. A consensus panel (N = 8) reviewed extant research on classification, shared first-hand knowledge and expert opinion of the subject, and formulated the recommendations. Seven recommendations resulted, each accompanied by specifics such as who, how, and when to implement them. External knowledge users (N = 37) provided additional feedback on the draft recommendations. These recommendations serve to advance the systematic management of classification across Canadian national sport federations. Additionally, this work provides guidance on how to utilize the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II Instrument when collaborating with parasport practitioners, thus bridging the gap between knowledge creation and implementation.

Frame Running stands out as one of the few sports that allows individuals with neuromuscular challenges and difficulties in controlling movements in the body to participate competitively. This review aims to critically analyze the scientific literature regarding the practice of Frame Running among individuals with cerebral palsy or similar conditions. This systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews with the registration code CRD42024523358. It follows PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Ten studies were included: five examine the impact of Functional-Running practice on physical and/or psychological variables and participants' quality of life, and five focus on the effects of athletes' impairments on their Functional-Running performance. Further research is required, particularly in biomechanics, to analyze running motion and understand the relationship between the frame, athlete morphology, and functionality as functional rehabilitation gains recognition in Paralympic sports.

The purpose of this study was to examine the subjective feelings of belonging for blind and visually impaired women when participating in exercise, physical activity, and/or sport. To do this, an experiential qualitative research approach was used. Ten blind or visually impaired women age 27-45 years served as participants and completed two one-on-one audio-recorded semistructured interviews. A reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the interview data, from which three themes were constructed: (a) "When you get there, and people welcome you": Feeling welcomed to join spaces, (b) "Feeling like I can contribute and I'm valuable": Feeling accepted within those spaces, and (c) "Having the opportunity. . .": Building community that extends beyond spaces. Participants described instances of belonging in physical activity spaces where they were welcomed, felt accepted and valued, and were able to develop long-lasting friendships.

This study aimed to (a) establish the angle linked to the arched technique (ALAT) to indirectly assess the bench-press arch among para powerlifting athletes, (b) determine optimal ALAT cutoff points associated with improved performance, and (c) correlate ALAT with performance outcomes. Twenty-two experienced para powerlifting athletes performed one-repetition-maximum bench-press tests using both the arched technique and the flat technique, with ALAT measured at the initial, sticking point, and final positions. ALAT values were significantly higher in arched technique than in flat technique at the initial position (p ≤ .05), and total load was significantly greater in arched technique (p ≤ .05). ALAT showed strong correlations with total load (r = .66-.76, p ≤ .05), supporting its reliability. Cutoff points ranging from 7.8% to 8.8% in ALAT differences corresponded to 1.5%-4.0% increases in load. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining a minimum arch angle during the lift to optimize bench-press performance in para powerlifting.

The International Blind Sports Federation introduced a new classification system for judo athletes with visual impairments in 2022, dividing them into two groups, J1 (totally blind) and J2 (partially sighted), based on visual acuity and field measurements, with the aim of promoting fairness in official competitions. Based on this perspective, the aim of this study was to explore performance-related outcomes of judo athletes with visual impairments under the new J1 and J2 classification system during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. A total of 195 matches (105 males and 90 females) were analyzed. Analysis of variance with Bonferroni post hoc compared groups based on medalists and nonmedalists (p < .05). Results showed that medalists outperformed nonmedalists in scoring index, technical standing variability, and the index of qualitative variation (p < .05). In the J1 class, technical groundwork variability was a significant differentiator, with medalists showing greater variability (p < .05). Additionally, J1 athletes demonstrated a higher prevalence of turning actions, forward throws, and two supporting feet (p = .016). This study indicated different performance outcomes for the classes determined by the new classification system. It is likely that this new system contributed to a more balanced and equitable competitive environment.

This study investigated the test-retest reliability of the countermovement-jump (CMJ) test using Kistler force plates to assess explosive power in top-level para-karate athletes with intellectual impairment (II) or Down syndrome (DS). Forty-four athletes (II, n = 20; DS, n = 24) were evaluated during the 2023 World Karate Championships. Each performed two CMJs with a 1-min rest between. Key parameters measured included jump height, force index, and maximal rate of force development. Results showed no significant differences between test and retest for either group. Athletes with II exhibited better reliability metrics (e.g., intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = .381-.953) compared with DS (ICC = .029-.64). The study concludes that the CMJ test is highly reliable for assessing explosive power in athletes with II, while DS requires careful protocol adjustments to enhance reliability, ensuring consistent data for coaches and sport scientists.

Classification is an essential aspect of parasport. However, the exact roles and responsibilities of parasport administrators related to classification have not yet been fully explored. This study aimed to understand how administrators in national sport organizations support classification. Six administrators participated in semistructured interviews. Critical realist analysis generated three themes: knowledge of classification, classification context, and administrators' roles related to classification. Knowledge of classification speaks to the importance of administrators' understanding classification, as well as their reliance on experiential learning and mentorship to understand the classification system and their role within it. Classification context refers to the tension within parasport resulting from competing uses of classification: Some organizations use classification to facilitate participation, while others reserve classification for high-performance athletes. Resultingly, administrators' roles are responsive to the unique needs of their organization. Altogether, this work describes how administrators may act as knowledge brokers in the parasport context.

This study investigates how accessibility information for sports facilities can be effectively designed and presented to serve diverse user needs. Through document analysis of 16 German-language publications and 18 expert interviews with stakeholders, including people with disabilities and facility planners, the research examined different approaches to organizing accessibility information. The study revealed three central systems for conceptualizing accessibility: by facility areas, by groups of people, and by spatial characteristics. Findings indicate a "wheelchair bias" in existing documentation, with wheelchair users receiving disproportionate attention compared with other disability groups. While binary accessibility ratings prove insufficient for individual users' needs, detailed spatial characteristic information enables more precise facility assessment. The research suggests that accessibility information systems should be flexible enough to serve different stakeholder needs, from detailed criteria for potential users to aggregated data for decision makers. The study contributes to developing more inclusive and user-friendly accessibility information systems for sports facilities.

Physical activity (PA) has significant health benefits for people with disabilities (PWD). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a minimum amount of PA, yet PWD face barriers to meeting them. Guided by the leisure constraints model, previous research has identified constraints and facilitators affecting PA participation but has not considered that PWD may have different experiences based on their PA levels. This study examined the constraint and facilitator profiles of PWD across three different levels of PA participation, focusing on PWD enrolled in adaptive sport or PA programs. Multinomial regression was used to analyze 690 online survey responses distributed by Move United. The results highlighted that, among three constraint levels, intrapersonal constraints were more critical for meeting PA recommendations than interpersonal and structural constraints. This suggests heterogeneous constraint and facilitator profiles of PWD, highlighting tailored services to accommodate their activity levels and needs.

This study sought to examine the lived experiences and subjective feelings of inclusion (i.e., feelings of belonging, acceptance, and value) among individuals with cerebral palsy in general physical education (PE) settings. Multimodal interviews were conducted to gather insights from speaking and nonspeaking participants. Three themes were constructed: (a) "A lot of the time I was left to figure out how to adapt things for myself": finding a role in PE; (b) "I float in between both worlds": ability and acceptance in PE; and (c) "If I had solely relied on K-12 experiences, I probably wouldn't be very active today": lost opportunities for physical literacy. Findings highlight the physical, mobility, and interpersonal negotiations that individuals with cerebral palsy undertake to participate meaningfully in PE and lifelong physical activity. Finally, the use of multimodal interviews resulted in a greater variety of participants and richer experiential accounts that may have been excluded by a traditional interview format.

People with a disability encounter many barriers in gyms, limiting their opportunities to experience health benefits associated with exercise. To better understand how to develop accessible exercise opportunities, this study examined person-environment interactions from the perspectives of diverse participants as they navigated gyms. A think-aloud protocol involving a series of tasks completed in two gyms was adopted to capture perceptions of accessibility, usability, and inclusion. Directed content analyses of think-aloud transcripts were guided by the Universal Design-based framework. Fourteen males and 24 females between 18 and 68 years participated. Nineteen participants had a disability and/or impairment. Five themes illustrated how participants maneuvered, understood, and felt in the gyms, reflecting physical (e.g., equipment versatility), cognitive (e.g., accessible information), and social factors (e.g., interpersonal interactions). Findings provide an understanding of how functional gyms could be developed for people with and without a disability to support participation in exercise.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can alter physiological responses to acute physical activity (PA), which may influence perceptions and reporting of PA intensity. We examined correlations between physiological and perceptual self-report measures of daily PA in individuals with SCI. Participants completed an assessment of peak aerobic-exercise capacity to determine individualized mild-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensity PA oxygen-uptake (V˙O2) cut points, wore a portable system that measured V˙O2, and completed the Physical Activity Recall Assessment for people with SCI. Time engaged in combined moderate to vigorous PA recorded by portable monitoring and self-report were significantly correlated (r = .659, p = .027). There were no associations between metabolic monitoring and equivalent self-report outcomes within individual PA-intensity levels. These findings highlight challenges people with SCI may have differentiating the intensity of PA, which may be related to the way self-report measures describe sensations associated with each intensity. Whether these findings are specific to SCI-related psychophysiology remains unclear.

Many qualified exercise professionals are underprepared to support the quality exercise experiences of persons with disabilities. Community-based exercise programs for persons with disabilities often offer new providers (i.e., staff, volunteers, and students) specialized onboarding training. We aimed to identify the competency elements delivered in these trainings. Applying a competency-based lens, training materials (n = 94) from community-based exercise programs in Canada (n = 9) were analyzed to identify competency elements (i.e., knowledge, skills, and attitudes) taught to providers and differences in training content between provider types. The majority of training content focused on the provision of knowledge, with less attention to skills and attitudes training. Focusing on knowledge acquisition can leave providers without the capacity to apply the knowledge they have attained in real-time situations. Staff training was oriented toward disability-specific content, while volunteer and student training focused more on general and program-specific content. Findings informed the development of disability-specific competencies for qualified exercise professionals in community exercise settings.

This study evaluated the transition from the former visual-impairment classification (B1-B3) to the new J1/J2 model in Para judo, focusing on its impact on fairness and performance. Previously, Para athletes with different levels of visual impairment competed together, often disadvantaging totally blind (B1) Para athletes. In response to this imbalance, the International Blind Sports Federation introduced the J1 and J2 classes in 2022, based on visual functional, and a reduction in weight categories to improve equity. An analysis of competition outcomes over the last years in Paralympic Games suggests that the new system reduces performance disparities between classifications. However, broader weight categories within classes may create new fairness concerns. The study concludes that the revised classification constitutes a significant advancement toward enhanced inclusion and competitive equity. Nevertheless, continuous evaluation, potential refinement of weight divisions, and rigorous enforcement against intentional misrepresentation remain critical to preserving the integrity of Para judo.

This study examined psychological performance determinants in 48 adult wheelchair basketball players, focusing on self-efficacy, sport-confidence, and goal orientation. Participants (38 male and 10 female) were analyzed by classification, sex, etiology, experience, and age. Outcome measures included the Basketball Self-Efficacy Scale, Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ), and the Trait Sport-Confidence Inventory. T tests were performed to explore differences between groups. Results revealed significant differences in TEOSQ scores between classifications: High pointers (International Wheelchair Basketball Federation [IWBF] 4-4.5) had higher ego-orientation scores than low pointers (IWBF 1-1.5). Males had higher self-efficacy scores than females. Less-experienced athletes showed higher task-orientation scores. Pearson correlation tests revealed a strong negative correlation between TEOSQ and age and a moderate negative correlation between TEOSQ and experience. The findings provide insights into psychological performance determinants in wheelchair basketball players, offering a foundation for targeted coaching practices aimed at enhancing athletic performance.

Understanding the psychological mechanism underlying physical activity (PA) participation in individuals with physical disabilities is crucial. In the current study, a conceptual model derived from extant literature was utilized to examine how perceived barriers, attitude, subjective norm, and self-efficacy are associated with intention and action of PA for people with disabilities. We recruited 371 adults (male = 215; female = 154; unidentified = 1; Mage = 53.20 ± 11.52 yr) with various physical disabilities. Structural equation modeling indicated that subjective norm, attitude, personal efficacy, environmental efficacy, and intention were positively associated with health actions, whereas internal, interpersonal, and environmental barriers showed negative associations. Internal and interpersonal barriers showed associations with lower motivation through self-efficacy and subjective norm, while environmental barriers were associated with diminished volitional processes through environmental efficacy. PA participation among individuals with disabilities appears to be shaped by different types of barriers and social cognitive variables across various stages of behavioral engagement. Limitations, practical implications, and future directions are also discussed.

One role of adapted physical educators is connecting with parents of children with disabilities to enhance service delivery. However, parents experience a disconnect with teachers. Much of the literature has focused on parent perspectives, but equally important is understanding the perspectives of teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of adapted physical education (APE) teachers toward parents of children with disabilities. Through semistructured interviews of 11 participants, four themes were extracted: (a) importance and benefits of parent involvement, (b) communicating with parents as a key facilitator to developing relationships, (c) teacher characteristics that facilitate developing parent relationships, and (d) perceived barriers to developing parent relationships. In addition to experiencing parental lack of value for and prioritizing APE, many APE teachers also experienced challenges such as feeling marginalized. Having resilience and communicating through visuals were important factors to create relationships with parents.

Physical activity is vital for health, yet individuals with visual impairments face barriers in conventional fitness settings. This study aimed to understand the perceptions and lived experiences of exercisers with visual impairments (EVI) who participated in an adapted group exercise program (AGEP) and to identify the perceived barriers and facilitators to exercise participation among EVI in both AGEP and non-AGEP settings. Thematic analysis of focus-group interviews with nine EVI identified four themes; therein, participants described meaningful facilitators in AGEP (i.e., accessible instruction, accessible support, and socialization). However, they also reported barriers in both non-AGEP (i.e., inaccessible instruction, activity exclusion) and AGEP (i.e., untrained support staff) settings. These findings underscore the need for collaborative efforts between EVI and program staff to create supportive physical activity environments in both AGEP and non-AGEP settings. Future research could seek to explore this coproduction process to foster greater inclusivity for EVI.

Using narrative inquiry as a theoretical and methodological framework, the purpose of this research was to understand the Para sport landscape as it pertains to girls and women with disabilities in Canada, from the perspectives of athletes and coaches. We recruited five girls and women athletes with disabilities and six Para sport coaches to participate in semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using a thematic narrative analysis. Using creative nonfiction, we present three composite vignettes to illustrate our participants' experiences and recommendations toward the promotion of girls and women with disabilities in sport. This exploratory study shines light on intersectional inequities experienced in sport (e.g., discriminatory coaching attitudes) but also the potential of sport toward supporting community and empowerment. Practical recommendations are offered to coaches, sport programmers, administrators, and policymakers in pursuit of creating positive and inclusive sport environments for girls and women with disabilities.