Family and Friends Resource Hub

Importance of Recreation & Role of Supporters

Research shows that recreation plays an important role in quality of life, life satisfaction and community participation following a spinal cord injury.

Sports and outdoor recreation can have a positive impact on physical, mental and emotional health and create a greater sense of autonomy and independence.

A strong support system from friends, family and adaptive sports professionals is vital to help reduce the challenges and barriers of participating in adaptive sports.

All individuals within the spinal cord injury community have different abilities, experiences, and goals, this community page is intended to be a starting place to help you in the role of supporter.

Adaptive Checklists

Before You Go Considerations

Adaptation Toolkit

Personal Considerations

Safety Considerations

There is inherent risk in all sports and outdoor recreation. With all recreation, the goal is to promote safety and minimize risk when possible. However, we are not able to mitigate all risk without modifying the experience. When recreating with individuals with spinal cord injuries, it is important to be aware of the secondary health conditions and additional safety concerns to maximize both experience and safety.

Autonomic Dysreflexia

Orthostatic Hypotension

Body Temperature

Bowel Management

Bladder Management

Skin Protection & Management

Nutrition

Hydration

Lived Experiences

Explore what recreation means, who they enjoy recreating with, and how you can engage and support their recreational goals in the interviews below.

Athlete Interviews

7 Videos

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