Swedish Parasport Academy
The Swedish Parasport Academy is a collaborative environment between academia, companies, sports, the rehabilitation sector, and society with the aim of contributing to increased active lifestyle and sports participation for people with impairment.
What we do
The long-term objective is to contribute to the co-production of knowledge about physical activity and sports which are useful for the individual with impairment, the society, education purposes and to create new innovative ideas and solutions.
The purpose of this research is to study how the impairment affects activities in everyday life, physical activity during leisure time, and para sports. The target group is wheelchair users who are physically active or participating in sports.
The project will:
- measure the impairment without compensatory aids,
- examine the relation between the individual and equipment/aid, and
- measure performance during everyday activities and sport-specific tasks performed using a wheelchair.
The results from the project will provide answers on how the mobility/function of the individual can be optimised with equipment/aids based on the individual’s ability and need, and at the same time minimise the load on the shoulder and pelvis. The aim is to find the optimal level of function and performance for wheelchair users, both in everyday situations and in a sports performance perspective.
This project includes more than a hundred people with neuromusculoskeletal impairment who use wheelchairs.
Recruitment of research subjects
Project duration
The project runs between 2022 and 2026
Our research projects
The following research projects are part of the Swedish Parasport Academy. You can read more about them on the respective links.
Collaboration partners
The Swedish Parasport Academy works closely with its partners. The steering group includes Camp Pro Ortopedteknik, Permobil AB, Aleris Rehabstation Stockholm and Parasport Sweden. Researchers from these different organisations are actively involved in the design, analysis and dissemination of the project's results.
- The Knowledge Foundation
External link, opens in new window. - Camp Pro Ortopedteknik AB External link, opens in new window.
- Permobil AB External link, opens in new window.
- Qualisys AB External link, opens in new window.
- Aleris Rehab Station Stockholm AB External link, opens in new window.
- The Spinalis Foundation External link, opens in new window.
- RG Active Rehabilitation External link, opens in new window.
- The Swedish Sports Confederation External link, opens in new window.
- Parasport Sweden External link, opens in new window.
- Swedish Network for Adapted Physical Activity (SNAFA) External link, opens in new window.
- Centre for Sport Research External link, opens in new window.
- International Canoe Federation External link, opens in new window.
A number of national, international research partners from Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Poland are also part of the network.
Swedish Parasport Academy
We want more people with disabilities to be able to move around and participate in sports. We collaborate between universities, companies and the sports movement to achieve this goal.
Our research project during the years 2022 to 2026 investigates how wheelchair use affects the ability to move and play sports.
The project also investigates the risk of injuries in the shoulders, pressure ulcers under the buttocks and on the back.
Are you interested in participating in the research study?
Contact Principal Investigator Anna Bjerkefors, anna.bjerkefors@gih.se
