Occupational Therapy Students Rethinking Ability Through Adaptive Sports
Occupational Therapy (OT) students enrolled in the Older Adult Elective had the opportunity to learn about adaptive sports from the Raiders Wheelchair Football Team during a hands-on experience at the end of August.
Dr. Silvia Lobaina OTD, OTR/L, CPAM, MOCA, JH-CARE ICU, adjunct professor, organized this field experience to provide third-year OT students with a valuable opportunity to step outside of the traditional classroom environment and observe the impact of adaptive sports and community-based participation firsthand. The students were able to interact with individuals participating in Raiders adaptive wheelchair football and observe how physical abilities, environmental adaptations, teamwork, and accessibility can influence successful participation in meaningful occupations.
The purpose of this experience was to help students connect concepts discussed in the classroom with real world OT practice. As an OT, their role extends beyond helping individuals complete basic activities of daily living. They also promote participation in leisure, recreation, social engagement, and community activities that contribute to an individual’s overall quality of life.
The students learned how adaptive sports can provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in meaningful physical and social activities. They were able to see how activities can be modified or adapted based on an individual’s abilities while still promoting independence and confidence.
One of the biggest takeaways was recognizing that participation is possible even when an activity needs to look different for each individual. The goal as an OT is fundamentally about helping people participate in the activities that give their lives meaning.
Seeing adaptive sports in a real community environment allows the students to understand this concept in a way that cannot always be fully appreciated through a textbook or classroom lecture. Experiences like this help future OT’s develop clinical reasoning, empathy, creativity, and a greater appreciation for community participation.
“As an educator and an OT myself, one of my goals is to provide students with opportunities to connect classroom knowledge to real life experience,” shared Dr. Lobaina. “I hope they carry this experience with them as they move forward in their education and eventually into clinical practice.”
