engleski

Wheelchair Tennis and Its Impact on People with Physical Disabilities

The first part of this paper presents a general definition of people with physical disabilities, their historical position in society, modern models of disability characterized by processes of integration with regard to sports persons with disabilities in general and, finally, it discusses tennis as practiced by people with disabilities in particular. The second part contains qualitative research designed to gain insight into the views and experiences of people in wheelchairs on practicing tennis as a sport activity for people with disabilities. The research study included 15 participants from 22 to 50 years of age. Data collection involved the use of a semi- structured interview, with qualitative analysis used in the data processing, while for the organization of the data collected the method of open coding was used. According to the results, the motives for involvement in this sport can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic. Benefits to the life of players with disabilities are reflected at three levels: physical, psychological and social. Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that for people with physical disabilities who play tennis, the sport is an essential factor in their integration into society, as well as having a good effect on their mental and physical capabilities. It is important for society as a whole to invest more in the development of this sport and to continue conducting research on wheelchair tennis.

People with physical disabilities ; Tennis, Wheelchair tennis

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