The effects of group-based open water interventions

Akua Accra

The University of Essex

Professor Leanne Andrews and Dr Simone Coetzee

The effects of group-based open water interventions on the lives of injured military veterans- A holistic perspective

My research topic is in understanding the effects of physical activity in blue spaces for injured military veterans, particularly in the more holistic wellbeing domains of emotional, spiritual, physical and social wellbeing, as opposed to just focusing on psychological wellbeing. Unlike green exercise, water-based exercise is known to be a feasible and appropriate form of physical activity for people living with a range of musculoskeletal issues; with the current literature revealing that blue exercise is accessed by a wide variety of veterans, especially those for whom land based exercise may not be appropriate or who are living with complex and severe injuries and negative affective disorders. As blue exercise interventions provide an inclusive way of engaging a range of veterans in physical activity pursuits, peer-group based interventions potentially provide access to a range of social, emotional, existential and physical wellbeing benefits that may aid in a veterans overall holistic wellbeing and contribute to enhanced functioning in daily life.

I will be seeking to speak with veteran participants of a number of blue space programs around the globe, including surfing programs, scuba diving programs, kayaking and sailing programs about how these programs have impacted their lives and you were one of the programs that I was interested in recruiting from. This will be a mixed methods study however, at the moment I am recruiting for interview participants.

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