Research Highlights Importance of Guides for Visually-Impaired Runners in Promoting Physical Activity More Broadly

Running can be a daunting prospect for visually impaired people, and a new study of the experiences of visually impaired runners and their guides aimed to support more inclusive practices in physical activity in the future.

It is estimated that at least 2.2 billion people globally have a visual impairment, and now academics from the University of Lincoln, UK, are hoping a new study might encourage better practices to help people take part in physical activity.

The study, led by BSc Health and Exercise Science graduate and guide runner, Dona Hall, explored experiences of visually impaired runners and sighted guide runners from a social-psychological perspective. New understandings are now helping to inform guided running initiatives to foster greater participation and inclusivity in physical activity for visually impaired people.

During guided running, visually impaired people are guided along a route, for example, via a hand-held ‘tether’ or an ‘elbow lead’, with verbal communication from their guide runner. Both runners aim to synchronise movement to optimise co-running motion.

Engagement in physical activity can potentially increase disabled people’s quality of life and functional independence. It can also support the development of social networks and increase wellbeing, happiness and enjoyment of activities.

Despite these potential benefits, disabled people are significantly less active than non-disabled people, so addressing the inequalities and improving engagement is imperative.

For visually impaired people, facilitators to physical activity include accessible, inclusive environments, with social contacts important for initiating and maintaining sports participation.

On the other hand, barriers to engaging in physical activity include negative social perceptions and expectations, built environmental issues, such as raised pavements and other hazards, and inadequate equipment.

Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise Psychology and contributor to the study, Dr Patricia Jackman, said: “Our research highlights the potential physical, social, and psychological benefits of running for visually impaired runners and sighted guides.

“Increasing physical activity in disabled people is a national priority and we hope that this study can help more visually impaired people to have the opportunity to partake in running in future.”

Although to date there has been limited scholarly attention to this activity, guided running could provide valuable physical activity opportunities for visually impaired people. Interest in visually impaired running has grown in recent years, with the UK’s first-ever dedicated race for visually impaired runners taking place in 2021.

Participants in the study had varying degrees of vision impairment, and findings illustrate the importance of directing attention towards developing high-quality relationships between visually impaired runners and their sighted guides, alongside further social and material changes, to promote inclusivity.

Sighted guide runners were recognised to be fundamental to quality running experiences, reinforcing the importance of education and training for these guides, to ensure they are effectively supported to run safely with visually impaired runners.

The above findings also highlighted the importance of broadening the focus of disability sport research beyond health outcomes, to adopt more holistic perspectives on the quality of people’s experiences when physically active.

The study is available to read open access here: https://lncn.ac/virunning

ENDS

(Image credit: Richard Hall Photography)