We recently helped Headway Cambridge and Peterborough, who support adults living with a brain injury, with funding to buy adapted exercise equipment.
The money was used to expand their Exercise and Adapted sports programme with a New Age Kurling set, Adapted Volleyball set and Basketball ground nets. The new equipment has proved that sports can be adapted to be inclusive, allowing everyone to enjoy the physical, social and health benefits.
There are about 15 participants across 2 days participating in the exercise and adapted sports sessions. The groups were excited to try new activities and for some, it was an opportunity to participate in something they did pre-brain injury and thought they couldn’t do anymore because of the effects of their brain injury e.g. due to impaired balance. This was particularly true of volleyball, with 3 of the participants in the first session remembering how fun it used to be playing with a team. The volleyball set purchased is for Sitting Volleyball, the sport played by para-athletes in the Paralympics. This version of the game isn’t appropriate for all participants, as not everyone can get on/off the floor, so they are working to create their own inclusive Brain Injury friendly version, using problem solving, memory, communication and teamwork skills.
New Age Kurling had a lot of interest as many of the group members only knew about the traditional version - “I didn’t know you could play this game off the ice!”, but appreciated the opportunity to try a new adapted version and improve teamwork, communication and hand-eye co-ordination skills.
In the short time since they launched their new Adapted Sports, the groups have already begun to improve their hand-eye co-ordination and aim through playing. Improving functional movement is also a benefit of playing the sports, as players have to use fundamental moves such as sit to stand or leaning/bending over, which can be difficult after brain injury, but which can improve and maintain independence if the person is able to do them. Working in teams provides opportunities to practise communication and problem-solving skills, especially when working out strategy and tactics for winning a game and memory is tested when recalling the rules of the game at the start of every match.