Preventing injury in elite disability sport

There are over ten million people with a limiting long-term impairment or disability in Great Britain, with the most commonly reported impairments being physical disabilities that affect mobility. 

Building on years of injury prevention research in the able-bodied population, our researchers led by Dr James Bilzon, from the Department for Health, paired up with the Brazilian Paralympic Committee and Universidade Estadual Campinas in Sao Paulo, to establish the types and incidents of injury experienced by elite disabled athletes to determine a strategy for injury prevention.

The research involved:

• surveillance to quantify the size and nature of injuries
• in-depth epidemiological research to understand risk factors
• the identification of those factors which could be modified or controlled.

The research team then conducted controlled intervention studies to establish cause and effect, giving advice on how to implement training policies in such a way as to prevent injuries.

The team is now looking to replicate the research in the UK and is working with the English Institute of Sport to establish an injury monitoring programme among elite disabled athletes.

Watch a video about the British Paralympic Association's preparation camp at Bath

 

Disability Sport and Health research

We were proud to be selected by the British Paralympic Association to host the ParalympicsGB squad in the run up to London 2012 reflecting the fantastic facilities and strength of disability sport and health research being carried out here.

As part of the legacy of London 2012, a research centre of excellence in this field has been developed at the University.

Our research aims to investigate the health and performance benefits derived from regular physical activity across the full range of physical disabilities, as well as investigating the motives and barriers to physical activity among these populations. Findings translate into real world applications, having a positive impact on the physical activity, health and wellbeing of persons with disabilities at all levels.

Particular attention has been given to three key areas in disability sport:

• elite athletes
• the general disabled population
• military victims.