1. Adapting Sports & Fitness for
People with Disabilities
Montana
SportsUnited: China, U.S.
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center of the University of Montana

2. Objectives
• Exchanges identified needs and ideas to adapt
sports and fitness activities for individuals with
disabilities
• Adapting activities for all abilities
2

3. Why Adapt Sports and Fitness
• Pain
• Fatigue
• Lack of energy,
endurance, strength
• Weight Control
• Depression
• Isolation
• Financial
• Transportation
• Accessibility
3
• Time

4. Why Adapt Sports and Fitness
4

5. Unified Sports Opportunities
Adapting Sports for people with and without disabilities to
participate together as teammates.
5

6. Sport Selection
Three Important Considerations
1. Accessibility: Can students with different
types of disabilities participate in the sport
with appropriate accommodations?
6

7. Sport Selection
Three Important Considerations
2. Meaningful Involvement: Can students
with and without disabilities contribute to
their Unified Sports teams meaningfully?
7

8. Sport Selection
Three Important Considerations
3. Safety: Can all students participate safely
in the sports environment without
fundamentally altering the nature of the
sport?
8

9. Adapting Fitness
•Supervised accessible fitness facility
•Pneumex body-support assisted standing
and walking program
9

11. Working with Bands
11

12. Adapting Equipment
12

13. Adapting Equipment
13

14. Adapting Equipment
14

15. Adapting Equipment
15

16. Questions?
• Would Unified Sports be something that you
could do in your community?
• What are some exercises that you have adapted
to meet the need of individuals with disabilities?
• What are some of the sports that you adapt for
people with disabilities?
16

17. Thank You!
Montana