Spinal Injuries Ireland Annual Conference

It's always a privilege to be invited to exhibit at an organisation's annual event and the Spinal Injury Ireland (SII) My Life Wellbeing at RDS Dublin did not disappoint.

This well attended event provided many opportunities to speak with users and also to promote our partnership to survey SII members about the swimming pools and gyms they use to retain fitness.

Two user stories, however, stood out:

1. A dad of a 12 yo, relatively recently confined to a wheelchair, explained the challenge in finding sporting activities for them to try, not only to keep fit and strong, but also for self-confidence and social connection. Sport for competition did not feature on their radar, even remotely.
2. A veteran wheelchair athlete recounted the fun they had playing and competing in their sport, but in which they no longer participate. The reason: it stopped being fun. The physical challenges could be overcome, but the continued push for competitive success eventually quenched the spirit, which is something considering their career successes.

My conclusions: we, as a sector, need to remember two things: sport is a fantastic vehicle for physical and mental wellbeing, but an overarching focus on competitive success will bring the opposite impact.

I suggest that sport must respond to the individual's ability and ambition, which ensures that each is on a personal development pathway and which works equally well for those with elite ambition and everyone else.

Connect with me on https://sur.ie/adrian if you're involved in an organisation and share this view - let's combine forces to bring a lasting change.

Visit https://spinalinjuries.ie to learn more about Spinal Injuries Ireland and how they support people living with spinal cord injuries, or on training for service providers interested in better supporting their needs.