Sports for disabled and handicapped people

Abstract

Over the last decades, sports for disabled and handicapped people have gained in importance. The Paralympics, especially has helped to advance sports for people with impairments. They were not only important to promote health and wellness among people with disabilities, but also made society aware of what these people are capable of. Physical activity is not only very important for health prevention in able-bodied people, but it is cruical in impaired individuals, because they are at a higher risk for obesity, have a higher burden of cardiovascular disease and more often suffer from osteoporosis. Due to the higher prevalence of disability sports these days, the topic of sports injuries in people with impairments has gained more significance over the last couple of years. There have been a few studies published, but there is a demand for further research. As shown in the example of in cerebral palsy (CP), sport already plays an important role in many therapy programs. For individuals with impairments, sport often becomes a very important part of their lives. It is important for their physical health but also for their mental health. It helps to establish their own body image and to gain self-esteem. And last but not least, it is significant to develop social interaction skills and establish friendships.