Background: Access to physical activity among youth with spina bifida (SB) is much lower than it is for children without disability. Enjoyable home-based exercise programs are greatly needed. Objective: Our objective is to examine the feasibility of a virtual reality (VR) active video gaming system (ie, bundle of consumer-available equipment) to meet US physical activity guidelines in two youth with SB. Methods: Two youth with SB—a 12-year-old female and a 13-year-old male; both full-time wheelchair users—participated in a brief, 4-week exercise program using a popular VR head-mounted display: Oculus Quest (Facebook Technologies). The system included a Polar H10 (Polar Canada) Bluetooth heart rate monitor, a no-cost mobile phone app (VR Health Exercise Tracker [Virtual Reality Institute of Health and Exercise]), and 13 games. The intervention protocol was conducted entirely in the homes of the participants due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The VR system was shipped to participants and they were instructed to do their best to complete 60 minutes of moderate-intensity VR exercise per day. Exercise duration, intensity, and calories expended were objectively monitored and recorded during exercise using the heart rate monitor and a mobile app. Fatigue and depression were measured via self-report questionnaires at pre- and postintervention. Participants underwent a semistructured interview with research staff at postintervention. Results: Across the intervention period, the total average minutes of all exercise performed each week for participants 1 and 2 were 281 (SD 93) and 262 (SD 55) minutes, respectively. The total average minutes of moderate-intensity exercise performed per week for participants 1 and 2 were 184 (SD 103) (184/281, 65.4%) and 215 (SD 90) (215/262, 82.1%) minutes, respectively. One participant had a reduction in their depression score, using the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) test, from baseline to postintervention, but no other changes were observed for fatigue and depression scores. Participants reported that the amount of exercise they completed was far higher than what was objectively recorded, due to usability issues with the chest-worn heart rate monitor. Participants noted that they were motivated to exercise due to the enjoyment of the games and VR headset as well as support from a caregiver. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that two youth with SB who used wheelchairs could use a VR system to independently and safely achieve exercise guidelines at home. Study findings identified a promising protocol for promoting exercise in this population and this warrants further examination in future studies with larger samples.

Students need to be properly prepared by their education to work respectfully and effectively with diverse populations and in diverse environments. Our purpose is twofold: (i) to provide a thorough description of the curriculum redesign process for an undergraduate kinesiology and health promotion (KHP) program, and (ii) to use our experience to provide more general recommendations to other departments and universities undergoing curricular redesign. The catalyst for this redesign was the conversion from a quarter-system to a semester-system and the opportunities for improvement identified through that process. The redesign was guided by a newly created departmental strategic plan, faculty professional development trainings, student feedback, faculty hirings and their areas of expertise, and industry demands. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) was mindfully embedded into the curriculum to reflect the department-, college-, and university-level core value of inclusivity. The redesign allows prospective KHP students to complete several courses that address DEI themes, in addition to the courses that build their technical competencies. Providing foundational exposure to DEI concepts through the undergraduate curriculum can better prepare students to work in diverse settings. As such, this report provides other programs with a framework to follow to make curriculum more DEI centric for their students.

Ableism is an inconspicuous phenomenon within the allied health field which may play a role in the lack of quality care often observed for people with disabilities (PWD). Since individuals’ general perceptions and attitudes toward people with disabilities develop in the early stages of their academic life, it is critical to examine the education of prospective allied healthcare practitioners, such as Kinesiology (KIN) students, to identify the roots of ableist ideas in an education system. The purpose of this study was to explore KIN students’ experiences within their respective curriculum in relation to the topics of PWD and ableism. We employed a phenomenological qualitative design using semi-structured interviews based on Critical Disability Theory. Twenty KIN students were interviewed about their experiences regarding PWD and KIN education. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview data. The results revealed ableism within the KIN curriculum due to insufficient information and exposure to PWD. Our findings provide a significant contribution to academia by highlighting how an able-bodied curriculum can perpetuate ableist attitudes among KIN students. Subsequently, this study signifies the need to develop disability awareness in KIN education.

Virtual reality (VR) has become an effective alternative to promote exercise. However, limited studies have investigated the effect of VR on pain and fatigue in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using VR during exercise on pain and fatigue in individuals with SCI. This study employed a concurrent nested mixed-methods design. Materials and Methods: Eleven individuals with SCI completed a 6-minute exercise test using arm ergometry with and without VR. Pain and fatigue questionnaire data were collected using Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire, the Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Fatigue Assessment Scale. Qualitative data were collected after the VR session. Results: Participants experienced less pain and fatigue during VR exercise than during non-VR exercise. Qualitative data were consistent with the questionnaire results. Conclusion: Clinicians should consider the use of VR in reducing pain and fatigue.

Purpose: Negative attitudes towards peers with disabilities can lead to undesirable behaviour and reduced social participation of students with disabilities. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a Paralympic sports class on the attitudes towards peers with disabilities and perceptions of human rights of Korean high school students without disabilities. Method: Participants were 168 freshmen high school students without disabilities. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The intervention group participated in a Paralympic sports class and the control group in a general physical education class. The Attitude towards Peer with Disabilities Scale (APDS) and Human Rights Sensitivity Scale (HRSS) were measured three times – pre-intervention, post-intervention, and after a 9-month follow-up period. Results: APDS and HRSS scores significantly increased following intervention and maintained after 12 months. No changes were observed in the control group. Conclusions: The attitudes of high school students towards peers with disabilities and their human rights sensitivity improved and this improvement was maintained for 9 month s after completing a Paralympic sports class. Such classes could provide benefits for the psychosocial development of high school students without disabilities.