Introduction/Rationale: Individuals with permanent impairments face unequal access to participate in most community spaces and have greater risks of experiencing mental health issues, such as depression and social isolation, and physical health issues, such as obesity and chronic pain. Participation in sport may satisfy human needs for identity, social connections, and belonging to a community. Professional adaptive surfing is an internationally growing phenomenon with over 500 classified surfers with permanent physical or visual conditions who, despite insurmountable obstacles, modify surfing based on their abilities and compete worldwide.
Objectives: This study’s purpose was to explore the experiences of competitive adaptive surfers.
Methods/Approach: A qualitative inquiry using purposive sampling was used for recruitment from two international competitions. Audio-recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed. Data analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results/Practice Implications: Participants (n=50) consented and interviewed. Sub-themes included how getting classified satisfied the need to feel like a professional athlete; engaging in surfing provided feelings of tranquility; honing skills increased participation; transforming thoughts towards the future created positive emotions; and competing increased social connections and relationships. Themes applied to Wilcock’s (2006) framework: doing-being-becoming-belonging. Doing included learning to surf with conditions; being included feelings of peacefulness; becoming aligned with the sense of a future, better self; and belongingness radiated through shared experiences, deepened connections, and improved health and well-being.
Conclusion/Significance to the Occupational Therapy Profession: Participation in sport fostered a means of doing, act of being, thought of becoming, and sense of belonging to the international adaptive surfing community. Sport participation improved mental and physical health that transcended into daily life. Incorporating sport-like activities during occupational therapy interventions may spark future participation.