Rehabilitation and recovery for veterans are typically viewed through the lens of procedures, medications, and supportive therapies designed to improve physical and mental health. When sport enters the conversation, it is often treated as a secondary or even irrelevant element — a perception that fails to reflect the reality. In truth, physical activity, freedom of movement, endurance, and a strong body are critical components of overall well-being.

The analytical and veterans’ departments of the Come Back Alive Initiatives Center have challenged this misconception through a new study titled Joy of Movement, authored by analyst Yaroslava Bratus. The report demonstrates that adaptive sports contribute not only to veterans’ physical rehabilitation but also to their psychological resilience. The study is the first of its kind in Ukraine, marking an initial effort to collect and analyze data on the development and potential scaling of adaptive sports.

The research also explores the broader national benefits of adaptive sports, including their contribution to Ukraine’s security and defense capacity. Several distinct respondent groups were selected for the study, each offering unique perspectives and experiences in adaptive veteran sports.

The study was produced with the support of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation under the joint initiative “European Renaissance of Ukraine.”

All information is accurate as of January 2025. The Come Back Alive Initiatives Center bears no responsibility for the use of this information beyond the original context of the study.

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