CONSTRUÇÃO DE UM INSTRUMENTO PARA ESTUDAR ACADEMIAS AO AR LIVRE: RESULTADOS DA APLICAÇÃO EM QUATRO CIDADES

Abstract

Outdoor gyms are a democratic space to promote the health and social inclusion of their users. Thus, motor activities can be extended to people with disabilities. The question that guided this study is: do these gyms have equipment adapted for people with disabilities to perform motor activities? Therefore, the objective was to identify and classify the equipment present in outdoor gyms in four cities. It is framed as an exploratory and descriptive study, with qualitative and quantitative analysis. To begin the collection, outdoor gyms were visited in four cities, in three different states and all available equipment was photographed for later analysis. At the same time, an internet search was conducted to find the companies that sell this equipment and to identify which of them had the seal for use by people with disabilities. The results indicated the existence of 28 equipment intended for wheelchair users. The variables chosen for the collection were: 1) access to the gyms; 2) equipment present; 3) equipment intended for people with disabilities; 4) condition of the equipment; 5) written instructions for using the equipment. The data collection took place in 29 outdoor gyms and 198 pieces of equipment were analyzed, making it possible to adequately measure the variables assessed. The results of the applications indicated the need for maintenance of access points and equipment and, mainly, the installation of signs indicating how the population should use them. Received: 2024/09/03 Reformulated: 2024/09/25 Accepted: 2024/09/27