VITENSKAPELIG ARTIKKEL 10 FYSIOTERAPEUTEN 5/25 Physical Activity Experiences of Youth with Physical Disability After Attending Valnesfjord Healthsports Centre (VHC): An interview and Observation Study Chanel Shumka, MSc., spesialfysioterapeut ved Finnmarkssykehuset, Hammerfest. chanel.shumka@outlook.com. Wenche Bjorbækmo, PhD., professor emerita, OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet. Denne vitenskapelige artikkelen er fagfellevurdert etter Fysioterapeutens retningslinjer, og ble akseptert 11. august 2025. Artikkelen er basert på en studie godkjent av SIKT (ref.nr. 416558). Ingen interessekonflikter oppgitt. Artikkelen ble først publisert på www.fysioterapeuten.no. Abstract Purpose: This study seeks to explore the experiences of youth with physical disability after attending VHC and examine how these experiences impact their understandings of themselves and their physical activity participation. Methods: A qualitative design was employed; data was collected through observation during activities at VHC followed by individual interviews after youth returned home. Analysis was inspired by phenomenological thematic analysis. Findings: Youth experience acceptance of differing participation and being offered adjustments in physical activity while being given the opportunity to influence their own participation at VHC, unlike their experiences in their home environments. These experiences promote developing understanding of oneself and own activity participation. Conclusion: Accepting differences in physical activity participation promotes youth adapting their physical activity participation and allows them to influence their participation, promoting learning in activity and developing understanding of oneself and one’s own needs. These experiences do not impact experiences of activity participation in the home environment. Keywords: physical disability, physical activity, youth, phenomenology. Introduction Valnesfjord Healthsports Centre (VHC) provides activity focused group rehabilitation stays for over 100 children and youth with disability annually. Through group participation in various indoor and outdoor activities, VHC aims to create mastery experiences and facilitate continued participation after participants return to their local environments (1). It is of interest to explore what youth experience and learn at VHC and the long-term impact of stays, given the time taken away from family, friends, school and daily lives during the rehabilitation program. Searches in databases Medline and Epistomonikos were conducted, using search terms describing physical disability, rehabilitation and camps; alongside searches of publication lists from Norwegian rehabilitation program providers. These searches sought out literature describing experiences with leisure activity after participation in rehabilitation programs or activities specifically for those with disability. We excluded literature not conducted in group settings, without participants with physical disability or without leisure activity participation as an outcome. Studies from rehabilitation programs describe participants feeling belonging, solidarity, and acceptance; and being a valued participant and role model for others (2-4). After rehabilitation, participants have reported increased knowledge and understanding of their disability and improved physical and social skills, but meeting barriers to participation in the home environment (5). These participation experiences can lead to feeling increased confidence in own capabilities and comfort in managing own disability in activity (4, 6). Existing literature reviews highlight the need for more research exploring how segregated activity settings may impact youth’s activity experiences, their experiences of self and the development of their individual and disability identities (7, 8), additionally how these experiences may impact future participation and experiences in informal activity settings with peers with or without disability (9, 10). Which aspects of segregated activity programs promote outcomes described in literature should be explored (11). In this study we aimed to examine youths’ experiences with activity participation in a segregated environment adapted for those with disability and how these experiences impact them after returning home. Theoretical perspectives In this study we have employed a phenomenological approach, which enables us to examine the youths’ experi-
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