Expanding Access to Adaptive Recreation: A Resource Worth Sharing
Access to adaptive sports and recreation isn’t always equal, even within the disability community. For people with higher-level spinal cord injuries, finding the right equipment, resources, and opportunities can come with additional challenges.
OAS Ambassador Ryan Barbee knows these barriers firsthand. When she explored the Kelly Brush Foundation’s Adaptive Recreation & Independence Guide for Higher-Level SCI & Complex Injury, she found a resource that addresses an important gap in adaptive recreation.
Here’s what Ryan had to share:
“As a quadriplegic, I often face more barriers to access and success in sports and recreation than people with lower spinal cord injuries. I am so happy to see that the Kelly Brush Foundation has acknowledged that gap.”
The guide shares educational resources about higher-level spinal cord injuries, sports designed for quads, emerging technology, supportive programs, and more. It also provides opportunities to connect with mentors and explore stories from the Kelly Brush Foundation’s spinal cord injury community.
Ryan sees value in this resource well beyond those with higher-level injuries.
“As adaptive sports continue to evolve, it is amazing to see an organization like KBF make such a huge effort to include and educate people with higher injuries. I think this resource is significant not only for quadriplegics, but also the greater SCI community, including family, friends, therapists, and medical professionals.”
One section that stood out to Ryan addresses safety considerations, including autonomic dysreflexia, an important and often misunderstood concern for people with quadriplegia.
“It definitely has my stamp of approval!”
Explore the Guide:
Discover educational resources, adaptive recreation opportunities, emerging technology, and community connections through the Kelly Brush Foundation’s Adaptive Recreation & Independence Guide for Higher-Level SCI & Complex Injury.
About Ryan
Ryan Barbee is an OAS ambassador and avid adaptive mountain biker who moved to Bend to pursue her love of outdoor recreation and connect with the OAS community. A former ski racer, Ryan returned to the slopes through adaptive skiing following an injury in 2022, but it was adaptive mountain biking that quickly became her favorite sport. Since getting her own adaptive mountain bike in 2024, she’s competed in enduro, downhill, and dual slalom races throughout the Pacific Northwest. Ryan is passionate about expanding access to adaptive recreation and helping others find community through outdoor experiences.
