Assessment of safety and accessibility of sports facilities for people with reduced mobility

This study is intended to foment interest growth, of the scientific community and entities running gymnastics/sports facilities, for people with reduced or conditioned mobility, promoting development of technical solutions and evermore suitable materials allowing the decrease of the disadvantages brought about by disabilities. This paper aims to verify safety and accessibility of sports facilities to people with conditioned mobility as well as appraise the reasons why this specific group has such low numbers of gymnastics/sports practice. A Checklist was made based on Portuguese legislation, including several aspects that Gymnastics/sports facilities should uphold in order to provide good and safe access to people with conditioned mobility. Simultaneously, an inquiry was held, in order to analyze the opinion of conditioned people about their will and aptitude to frequent gymnastics/sports facilities. This inquiry was conducted was distributed in the Oporto's metropolitan area to patients of Rehabilitation Centers and Physiotherapy Clinics. The results obtained through the inquiry give knowledge of the conformities and unconformities of each gymnastics/sports facility and help to determine the existence of barriers inhibiting the practice of sport by people with conditioned mobility. 24 people with permanent paralysis of the lower limbs (paraplegics) answered the enquiry regarding aptitude and will to perform physical activity. 8% had facilities offering sporting activities in the surrounding area of their residence and only 5 (21%) did practice physical activity, The main reason presented for the non-practicing of any kind of activity was the lack of suitable facilities. All of the involved regard sports activities as being beneficial. The benefits pointed out were; general well being, psychomotor development (Coordination, balance, posture,...); Physical condition (Strength, resistance, flexibility,.) and the social integration and quality of life. Furthermore, the individuals invoke the socializing, the occupation of free time, the breaking with the routine besides the well being as the prime reasons why they would like to take part in physical activities.