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Few studies have applied sport development models depicting Para athlete career development. This study utilizes the Athletic Career Pathways in Paralympic Sports framework, developed to respond to the limitations of established sport development models when applied to Para sport. Employing a mixed-methods design informed by critical realism, this study explores the career trajectories of Para track-and-field athletes while assessing the framework’s broader applicability. The findings challenge the linear pathway of traditional models, and a revised framework is presented offering flexibility to respond to the Para sport-specific and cultural context. The importance of schooling type, accessibility to nondisabled sports, and the need for specialist equipment in Para track and field offer further original insights into a Para athlete’s trajectory and validates the need for a Para sport-specific athlete career development model. These findings can be used to develop bespoke systems to support Para track-and-field athletes throughout their career trajectory.

Classification in para sports aims to create equitable competition. Footballers with vision impairments are allocated to one of three classes (B1, B2, or B3). This work aimed to understand the effectiveness and inclusivity of the current classification system. Visual acuity (VA) and/or visual field of male and female international footballers was extracted anonymously via the International Blind Sports Federation classification database. The analysis included 562 individuals. Footballers were predominantly male (88.26%); 11.74% were female. Only VA was used to classify 99.11% of footballers, and only 4.50% had visual field included in their classification. VA was nonnormally distributed for all three classes. Only 2.84% of footballers had a VA between 2.10 and 2.60 logMAR, suggesting that VAs in this range and/or visual-field impairment may disproportionately impact performance compared with other footballers within their classes. The current classification system does not appear to be inclusive or create equitable competition.

This systematic review synthesizes quantitative evidence on school factors associated with physical activity (PA) participation in children and adolescents with disabilities (CAD). A comprehensive search was conducted in four databases, and studies were included if they quantitatively measured PA levels and examined school factors associated with PA participation among CAD. Methodological quality was assessed, and a semiquantitative synthesis was performed. Twenty-four studies with good to excellent methodological quality were included. Five primary and 21 secondary school factors linked to PA engagement in CAD were identified: school time structure, school PA characteristics, school physical environment, school social environment, and school organizational factors. Among these, four factors of the school time structure (i.e., physical education time, recess time, lunch time, and before- and/or after-school time) showed the most consistent positive associations with PA. This review highlights the critical role of structured school time for school-based PA promotion in CAD.

Purpose: Gait is a complex task that requires the interaction between motor and cognitive demand, being usually assessed using the dual-task (DT) paradigm. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of 21 weeks of application of multicomponent DT training on the spatiotemporal gait parameters, coefficients of variation, and DT cost in people with intellectual disability. Methods: A controlled longitudinal pre–post design with random assignment to two groups (experimental and control) was used. Fifty-seven participants with intellectual disability joined in this study (age: 39 ± 9 years). The OptoGait system was used to register spatiotemporal gait parameters in two different conditions: single task and DT. Results: The main findings revealed that in both conditions, the multicomponent DT training significantly reduced the coefficients of variation of spatiotemporal gait parameters (p < .001), whereas there was no effect on DT cost. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the multicomponent DT training elicited a more stable and confident gait pattern.

To investigate the effect of a 6-week tai chi (TC) training program on physical performance in adolescents with Down syndrome and its influence on the psychological well-being of their parents, in a randomized controlled design, 25 male adolescents with Down syndrome (age 14.4 ± 1.30 years) were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 10) or a training group (n = 15). Before and after the training period, lower limb explosive strength, upper limb strength, flexibility, and balance were assessed in all participants, as well as their parents’ psychological well-being. Using 2 × 2 repeated-measures analysis of variance, significant Group × Time interactions (p < .05; $.33<{\mathrm{\eta }}_{\mathrm{p}}^2<.87$ ) were found for physical measures and parents’ depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. A 6-week TC program significantly improved lower limb explosive strength (p < .001; d = 1.21), upper limb strength (p < .001; d = 1.49), flexibility (p < .001; d = 1.11), and static balance (p < .001; d = 1.99) and reduced depression (p < .001; d = 1.89), anxiety (p < .001; d = 1.74), and stress scores (p < .001; d = 1.88) in parents in the training group compared with those in the control group. TC programs improve physical measures in adolescents with Down syndrome and psychological well-being of their parents. Establishing TC programs in sport associations could positively impact this population’s physical performance.

Little is known about physical activity (PA) participation in people with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of this study was to (a) characterize self-reported PA levels and (b) explore how PA levels might differ based on sociodemographic (e.g., gender) and clinical (e.g., MS clinical course) characteristics in people with advanced MS. We used a cross-sectional online survey design with 101 participants. PA was measured using the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals With Physical Disabilities. The mean score on the scale was 4.5 (SD = 5.9) metabolic equivalent hours per day. There was a significant difference in scores based on employment, population density, living situation, disability, and assistive-device type (all p < .05). PA levels were higher in those who were employed, lived alone, required bilateral support for mobility, and were manual wheelchair users (all p < .05). This study highlights low PA levels in people with advanced MS and potential variables that might impact PA in this MS subgroup.

Physical literacy (PL) is increasingly being implemented as a means for holistic development for children and youth. Despite this, children experiencing disabilities and their families continue to face barriers that impede participation in physical activities and subsequent PL development. To empower families to actively engage in their PL development, this study sought to provide an accessible, home- and play-based, parent-facilitated intervention, namely, PLayTubs. The purpose was to explore parents’ subjective understanding, involvement, and attitudes toward facilitating physical activity opportunities contributing to PL development through this intervention. Four parents with a child (<12 years old) diagnosed with a developmental impairment participated in a 10-week PLayTub experience. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with parents and their children. Making use of an interpretive description methodology and an ecological-dynamics conceptual framework, this study resulted in three themes: (a) a catalyst for autonomy, (b) more than just movement, and (c) an accessible alternative. Parents found that PLayTubs fostered autonomous participation and individual agency, enhanced connections and togetherness, and allowed for the creation of meaningful experiences with physical activity. These positive insights demonstrate the benefit of home-based interventions for this population and highlight the need for larger studies in the future.

This needs-assessment study evaluated the physical activity levels, needs, preferences, and requirements for exercise among individuals with visual impairments, aiming to establish evidence for the codesign of a subsequent home-based exercise program. The questionnaire, comprising 35 questions, was developed by a research team of disability and adapted physical activity experts. It was implemented for the online survey, collecting data from 145 adults with severe low vision and blindness between January 15 and January 29, 2024. Descriptive statistical analysis and content analysis were employed. Seventy-five participants (62.5%) were classified as overweight or obese, and only 15 participants reported engaging in the recommended levels of physical activity. Regarding the requirements for future home-based exercise programs, seven themes were identified: accessibility, nonvisual learning support, safety management, personalization, motivation, education, and technology. The results emphasized the urgent need for adapted home-based exercise programs that align with individuals’ specific health conditions and abilities.