The Effects of Sport Participation for Adults With Physical or Intellectual Disability: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Adults with physical or intellectual disability are less active than those without disability.

Objective: To review literature regarding sport participation in adults with physical or intellectual disability. Specifically, to examine characteristics of available studies including participants, interventions, outcomes, and impact.

Methods: A scoping review was completed. Searches of 6 databases and a trial registry plus citation tracking were undertaken. Two independent reviewers screened items for eligibility and extracted data about the studies, participants, interventions, and outcomes. A single reviewer extracted data to quantify impacts of sport participation, classified as favorable, insignificant, or unfavorable.

Results: 164 studies involving 11,642 participants were included. Most studies (128/164) used a cross-sectional design. Most participants were men (81%) with physical disability (135/164), and spinal cord injury was the most prevalent underlying health condition (54%). Most studies evaluated a mix of sports (83/164) in a disability-specific context (159/164), with basketball or wheelchair basketball being the most common individual sport (28/164). Physical impairment was the most frequently reported outcome domain (85/334 results). Sports participation impact was classified as 55% favorable, 42% insignificant, and 3% unfavorable.

Conclusions: There were many favorable and few unfavorable outcomes for participation in sport for adults with physical or intellectual disability. More research is needed to address the evidence gaps of gender, health condition, and type of sport, and to use more rigorous research designs to evaluate the effects of sport participation. While new evidence is generated, we suggest adults with physical or intellectual disability be encouraged to engage in sport.

Registration: PROSPERO registration number CRD42018104379.

Keywords: amputees; congenital, hereditary, and neonatal diseases and abnormalities; evidence gaps; nervous system diseases; para-athletes; recreation.