Improvement on the slopes: The impact of an adaptive snow sports program on children and young adults with disabilities.

Abstract

PurposeThis retrospective cohort study sought to examine participant skill and functional progression in an adaptive snow sports program for children and young adults with disabilities.MethodsOne hundred twelve individuals, majority male, who participated in at least 2 adapted ski or snowboard sessions were evaluated by trained adaptive instructors. The primary outcome measure was standardized skill level ranging from 1-novice to 9-expert. Secondary outcome measures of cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and independence scores, were rated on a scale from 1-5, with 5 being the highest.ResultsThe median number of sessions per participant was 4 (range 2-65 sessions) and median participation duration was 2 years (range 2-10 years). A Wilcoxon-rank sum test demonstrated an improvement in final skill level compared to baseline (p < 0.0001), with an average increase of 1.2 skill levels per participant and an average increase of 0.48 skill levels per year of involvement. There were also improvements from initial session to final session in all secondary outcomes: social (p = 0.002), emotional (p = 0.018), physical (p < 0.0001), and independence (p < 0.0001) scores.ConclusionOverall, there were improvements in all measured domains. This uses objective and functional measures to validate ongoing engagement with this adaptive skiing program at the athlete, volunteer, and organizational levels.