300 Section - Designing for Inclusion: A Qualitative Study on the Needs and Suggestions of People Living with Spinal Cord Injury for Inclusive Outdoor Adaptive Recreation Programs

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

PD

Pegah Derakhshan, MD

Medical Resident/ PhD candidate
University of Saskatchewan/ University British Columbia
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Co-Author/Coautor(s)

WM

W. Ben Mortenson, PhD

Professor
Centre for Aging SMART, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
AB

Andrea Bundon, PhD

Assistant Professor
School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada,
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
DL

Delphine Labbé, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States
TB

Tanelle Bolt, MA

Founder
RAD Recreation Adapted Society, Invermere, BC, Canada
Invermere, British Columbia, Canada
AD

Aditya Dhariwal, BSc

Medical Student
University of British Columbia - Island Medical Program
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

WM

William C. Miller, PhD

Professor
British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Objectives : Outdoor recreation plays a vital role in supporting physical, mental, and emotional well-being, yet accessibility barriers often limit participation among people living with spinal cord injury (PLwSCI). While adaptive devices (AD) can facilitate their involvement in outdoor recreational pursuits like skiing or biking, they are prohibitively expensive. Implementing a rental program for AD would address these barriers with the aim of enhancing the quality of their participation in leisure-time physical activities. This study aimed to understand the needs, interests, and challenges PLwSCI face in outdoor recreation and in accessing an AD loan program.

Design:

In this Qualitative Descriptive study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 PLwSCI, including 5 with tetraplegia, 11 with paraplegia, and 4 AIS A. All participants used adaptive mobility devices, including wheelchairs or walkers. Data were analyzed thematically.

Results:

Participants’ mean age was 51.2 years (SD = 12.3); eight were men. Three main themes emerged. “Drawn to the Outdoors” described the personal meaning of engaging in adaptive outdoor activities, including connection to nature, social belonging, and reexperiencing independence. “Hitting the Trail” highlighted participants’ needs for meaningful participation, including accessible information, affordable safe equipment, and supportive infrastructure and transport. “Designing with Us in Mind” reflected participants’ recommendations for improving the inclusivity and usability of adaptive outdoor programs through co-design, diverse and well-maintained equipment, and knowledgeable staff. Collectively, these findings highlight the multifaceted interplay between individual motivation, social connection, and systemic design in enabling equitable access to adaptive outdoor recreation.

Conclusion:

This study gathered comprehensive insights into improving access to AD and meaningful participation through systems co-designed with the disability community. Accessible information, affordable equipment, supportive infrastructure, and collaboration with knowledgeable partners were identified as key needs for making outdoor recreation more inclusive. These findings offer practical guidance for clinicians, community organizations, and policymakers to promote participation in adaptive outdoor recreation.