European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 19, 7 (2026) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2026.004

Why do people with a disability engage in extreme sports? A scoping review

Eric Wilms1, Jan H.B. Geertzen1, Sjoukje van der Werf2, Pieter U. Dijkstra1,3, Klaske van Kammen1*
1 University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Groningen, the Netherlands
2 University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Central Medical Library, Groningen, The Netherlands;
3 Sirindhorn School of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University 14 Arunamarin Road, Bangkoknoi, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand

People with disabilities increasingly participate in extreme sports, yet little is known about their motivations and experiences. This scoping review aims to explore this understudied phenomenon. The purpose of this scoping review is to gather insights into why people with disabilities engage in extreme sports. We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Web of Science from inception to August 2023. Database-specific key words and free-text words were combined. Articles were included if they described extreme sports, motivation or lived experiences, and participants with a physical disability. Articles were excluded if the sport was not extreme, there was no immediate danger, or if not available in English or Dutch. In total 4010 unique records were identified. Full-text analysis was conducted on, a case study, a quantitative study, and two qualitative studies, (63 athletes). Disabilities included spinal cord injury, injured limbs, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Athletes were engaged in skydiving, mono-skiing, kayaking and competitive motorsports. Motivations to engage in extreme sports were thrill seeking, reconstructing of lost identity, and re-inventing themselves. Extreme sports provided some athletes a new meaning of life after acquiring a disability. For each athlete individual motives played a role to engage in extreme sports. Extreme sport was a way for some athletes to participate in society again. By mapping existing evidence on why athletes with disabilities engage in extreme sports, this review provides insights that can inform adaptive sports programs and rehabilitation strategies. These findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited number and heterogeneity of available studies and highlight the urgent need for further research in this area.

Keywords: Disability Sports; Motivation; Risk Taking; Experiences

Received: September 26, 2024; Revised: January 20, 2026; Accepted: March 6, 2026; Prepublished online: May 11, 2026; Published online: September 15, 2026  Show citation

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Wilms, E., Geertzen, J.H.B., van der Werf, S., Dijkstra, P.U., & van Kammen, K. (2026). Why do people with a disability engage in extreme sports? A scoping review. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 19, Article 7. https://doi.org/10.5507/euj.2026.004
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