Journal of Asian Paralympic Movement (Humanistic Approach to Sport and Exercise Studies)

Visually impaired individuals have higher risk of injuries particularly in sports like goalball. It is specifically designed for the visually impaired people. It is imperative to prevent injuries prior to their occurrence for avoiding negative effects on sporting success, financial losses, and motivation. This study was aimed to determin the Epidemiology and Associated Factors of Sports Injuries in Iranian Goalball Athletes. This study is a descriptive-correlational and retrospective research. A total of 205 male and female goalball athletes, aged between 18 and 50 years, completed the injury registration form. The Fuller et al. injury registration form was utilized for data collection. The information gathered included injury prevalence, injury mechanisms, injury severity, injury incidence across different anatomical regions, injury timing (training/competition), and injury type (acute or chronic). Frequency and percentage were used to assess injury prevalence, and the Chi-square test was employed to analyze relationships between variables. The highest prevalence of injuries was related to contusions and bruises (28.3%), while fractures and dislocations had the lowest prevalence (3.9%). No significant relationship was found between sports injury prevalence and factors such as age group, activity history, activity level, and sports class. The knee exhibited the highest frequency of local and overall anatomical injuries (19.5%), while the sole of the foot had the lowest frequency (1.0%). The most common types of injuries were facial and cheek abrasions, cuts, and wounds (8.3%), followed by wrist and shoulder muscle strains, each affecting 15 athletes (7.3%). Regarding injury mechanisms, the most fre

Intellectual impairment is one of the most common mental disorders associated with impaired balance and impaired motor performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of game-based intervention on postural control and motor performance in children with intellectual impairment. The population of this study was all of the intellectual impaired girls of Tehran and Mashhad City, and sample consisted of 20 educable intellectual impaired girls, who were healthy physically and voluntarily participated in this research. The subjects were randomly divided into two equal experimental and control groups (n=10). The experimental groups had six weeks of game-based intervention with two sessions per week. During this period, the control group control group engaged in the routine activities of the physical education class. The Timed Up and GO and Stork tests were done as pre-posttest, respectively. Data were analyzed through descriptive and analysis of independent T-test. The findings showed that the implementation of the six-week exercise program led to improvements in static balance (P=0.001) and motor performance (P=0.001) of the participants in the game group compared to the control group. The findings of the study underline the importance of early, structured interventions for children with mild intellectual disabilities, particularly those based on game. Such interventions not only improve motor performance and balance but also contribute to overall physical, cognitive, and social development. Given the positive impact of game-based interventions, they should be integrated into rehabilitation and educational programs for children with intellectual disabilities to support their development and improve their quality of life.

Physical exercise is well-known for its systemic health benefits, particularly in cardiovascular and metabolic health. However, its role in ocular health is an emerging area of interest. This review explores the current evidence on how regular physical activity can prevent and manage various eye diseases, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and cataracts. The underlying mechanisms, such as improved ocular blood flow, reduced intraocular pressure (IOP), and enhanced metabolic control, are discussed to provide a comprehensive understanding of how exercise contributes to maintaining eye health.

This research was conducted with the aim of integrating practical and theoretical strategies to enhance the motivation for sports participation among workers. The design of this research was cross-sectional and correlational. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all employees of Iranol Oil Company in Tehran in 2020, totaling 890 individuals. Among them, 261 were selected based on the Krejcie and Morgan table using the available sampling method. In this study, the tools used were the Sports Participation Motivation Scale (Gill et al., 1984), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Garnefski and Kraaij, 2006), and the Subjective Vitality Scale (Ryan and Frederick, 1997). Additionally, structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. The research findings indicated that the model had a good fit. Accordingly, the findings showed that in the final model, the standardized path coefficients for adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation on sports participation motivation were 0.17 and -0.40, respectively. Therefore, the skill of emotion regulation (practical strategy) was significant in the relationship between the feeling of vitality (theoretical strategy) and sports participation motivation. Using the results obtained from the developed model of sports participation motivation, a foundation is laid for creating practical programs to improve the inclination towards sports participation among various segments of the population. Additionally, implementing interventions to educate individuals on learning emotion regulation strategies through changes in cognition and behavior to achieve greater self-regulation provides a practical basis for increasing sports participation. Ultimately, focusing on enhancing community vitality serves as a theoretical approach to reducing maladaptive emotion regulation, thereby fostering the growth of sports participation motivation.

The aim of this research was to determine the impact of a psychological skills training (PST) course on the level of sports injury anxiety and fear of failure. This research was of an applied and cross-sectional nature, and the statistical population consisted of elite football athletes, among whom 45 completed the existing scale. The measurement tools used were the Sports Injury Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI) to assess fear of failure. The pre-test for sports injury anxiety and fear of failure was conducted in all three groups, and the experimental group followed the corresponding protocol for 12 sessions, after which the post-test was carried out. The data were analyzed using the dependent t-test and ANCOVA. The results showed that after the intervention, sports injury anxiety and fear of failure had decreased, and there were differences in the responses to the items on the sports injury anxiety and fear of failure test between the two experimental groups, the pre-exercise intervention and the pre-sleep intervention. In general, it can be concluded that practicing psychological skills can be a strategy for reducing psychological responses such as sports injury anxiety and fear of failure. Sports psychologists are advised to use this intervention to reduce sports injury anxiety and fear of failure, and consequently to improve performance.

Athletes are more at risk of developing anxiety disorders, depression, and substance abuse disorders due to facing unique stresses such as balancing social life with sports and high public expectations. The cognitive-behavioral therapy model, in addition to helping athletic performance, can play a preventive role in the development of psychological disorders. This study aimed to determine the impact of the cognitive-behavioral therapy model (with an emphasis on the role of the technique of using others as a benchmark for belief modification) on depression and return to sports in an athlete with major depressive disorder. In this study, a 5-session cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention with an emphasis on the technique of using others as a benchmark for belief modification was conducted. The athlete's depression and anxiety were measured before the intervention, after the intervention, and at a 2-month follow-up stage. The results showed that the athlete progressed from severe depression and moderate anxiety in the pre-test stage to mild depression and anxiety in the follow-up stage, indicating the positive role of the cognitive-behavioral therapy model (with an emphasis on the technique of using others as a benchmark for belief modification) in reducing depression and anxiety in athletes. In the technique of using others as a benchmark for belief modification, the athlete looks at the adaptive beliefs of real successful individuals and distances themselves from their maladaptive beliefs. In other words, if athletes can realistically see and understand how to apply adaptive beliefs in other successful individuals who have been in similar or even much more difficult situations, they will take action to modify their maladapti