Disability Sports and Recreation

Interested in playing disability sports but don’t know where to start? There are lots of options out there and you may be able to join, depending on your level of mobility and strength – and what you enjoy. People with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus play a wide range of different sports – and using a wheelchair doesn’t have to be a barrier.

The following inspiring Paralympians all live with spina bifida, showing just a few of the sports you could try. But you don’t have to play at this level to benefit – lots of people participate in disability sports to have fun, get fitter and meet new people.

Curling

Meggan Dawson-Farrell – Our very own SBH Scotland member, Meggan, made her debut at the Paralympics in Beijing 2022 in the GB wheelchair curling team. Before that she also competed for Scotland at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games where she made it all the way to the 1500m final, finishing 7^th.

Athletics

• Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE is one of the world’s most admired sportswomen. The Welsh wheelchair racer won 11 gold medals in five Paralympic Games and won the London Wheelchair Marathon six times
• Marcel Hug, AKA the Swiss Silver Bullet, has won multiple medals in Para athletics
• Tatyana McFadden, from the USA, became the first person (non-disabled or otherwise) to win the four major marathons in the same year and has broken records for wheelchair racing

Table tennis

Tamara Leonelli, the Para table tennis player from Chile, began playing as part of her rehabilitation but fell in love with the sport and has won a number of medals.

Archery

British Phoebe Paterson Pine first tried archery on a family holiday, going onto win a gold medal at her first Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Basketball

Josh Turek, now an American politician and disability advocate, was part of the wheelchair basketball team that won gold medals in the 2016 and 2020 Paralympics.

What exactly are disability sports?

A disability sport is one that’s been designed or adapted for people with various types of disabilities. Sports that have been designed for disabled people include Boccia, an indoor target sport that uses a soft leather ball. Others, like wheelchair basketball and tennis, are traditional sports that have been adapted for people with disabilities. Whatever you try, you can take part at different levels – whether you just want to have fun and get fitter, or you’re interested in getting involved in elite competitions.

If you haven’t played disability sport before, or you’re not used to being active, you may feel nervous about getting involved. Most people feel this way at first but don’t let lack of confidence get in the way. Perhaps you could find a buddy who wants to join in too – or a friend or family member could go with you the first time. 

If you have concerns about whether an activity’s suitable for you, call the SBH Scotland Helpline on 03455 211 300 or you can fill in this form to get in touch with our support team.

What can I do? 

That’s up to you! Any form of activity has lots of benefits for your physical and mental wellbeing. What’s most important is to find something you enjoy, as you’ll be more likely to stick with it.

Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) is the governing body of sports for people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities. Through SDS, you can find out about a range of activities, including wheelchair basketball, cycling, rowing, swimming and tennis – and many more.

To find reviews of accessible venues and events, visit Euan’s Guide.