- Physical deconditioning-reconditioning
- Sedentary lifestyles, excess weight and obesity
- Aging and loss of autonomy
- Impairments, chronic illnesses, handicaps and disabilities
- Discrimination, stigmatization, exclusion/positive discrimination, destigmatization, inclusion
- Readaptation – rehabilitation – special education
- Adaptive sport – Paralympic sport
- Human-machine interfaces – technical/technological innovations
Adapted Physical Activities, designed to meet the needs and capabilities of people with motor, sensorial or intellectual disabilities, have developed enormously since the 1970s. Today, the field of adaptive physical activity has been enlarged to cover new groups of people (people with disabling chronic illnesses, older adults, people who are overweight or obese, etc.) while continuing to focus on preventing illness and loss of autonomy, readaptation to physical effort, rehabilitation and social integration, in addition to improving sporting performance, often through technological aids. In the 21st century’s sedentary, aging and medicalized societies, adapted physical activity is becoming an increasingly important component of public health policies.
Researchers working on this theme:
Institute of Sports Sciences
- Francesca Amati – Associate professor
- Jérôme Barral - Assistant professor
- Bengt Kayser - Full professor
- Davide Malatesta - Assistant professor
- Anne Marcellini - Associate professor
Publications on this research theme:
- Lanzi, S., Nussbaumer, P., Calanca, L., Mazzolai, L., & Malatesta, D. (2022). Descending stair walking in patients with symptomatic lower extremity peripheral artery disease: A pilot study. Vascular Medicine, 27(2), 171-173.
- Malatesta, D., Favre, J., Ulrich, B., Hans, D., Suter, M., Favre, L., & Fernández Menéndez, A. (2022). Effect of very large body mass loss on energetics, mechanics and efficiency of walking in adults with obesity: mass‐driven versus behavioural adaptations. The Journal of Physiology, 600(4), 979-996.
- Marcellini, A., Perera, E., Beldame, Y. & Ferez, S. (2022). L’activité physique des personnes en situation d’obésité. Au croisement d’une géographie de l’obésité et d’une approche sociologique par les parcours de vie. In Bouger pour la santé. Analyses sociologiques d’une injonction contemporaine (p. 61‑70). PUG-UGA Editions.
