The Department of Health of the Odessa City Council is actively implementing new approaches in the rehabilitation of Ukraine's defenders, including adaptive sports. Recently, a meeting was held at the Odessa City Hall focused on the prevention and correction of stress-related conditions in military personnel and veterans through physical activity and esports.
Specialists from various medical institutions attended the event, including rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, sports doctors, neurologists, psychologists, and representatives from the Department of Physical Culture and Sports.
Vasyl Rybak, head of the rehabilitation department, outlined the key physical and psychological conditions that can be improved through esports and virtual reality.
He emphasized that regular sports activities positively affect both motor and mental abilities of patients, enhancing cognitive functions, emotional control, sleep quality, and discipline.
The primary goal of this initiative is to develop a program for the prevention and treatment of stress disorders with a focus on social adaptation for veterans. International methodologies will be utilized, incorporating experiences from countries such as the USA, the UK, Belgium, and Switzerland, alongside the integration of physical and virtual activities in rehabilitation programs.
It is proposed to establish working groups within medical facilities providing rehabilitation services to implement esports. All institutions will receive unified methodological recommendations to incorporate esports into individual rehabilitation programs, taking into account the personal characteristics of each patient.
It is expected that the implementation of esports in rehabilitation departments will lead to improvements in participants' physical condition, reductions in stress and anxiety levels, and the formation of supportive communities through teamwork in esports.
Veterans who have undergone rehabilitation in Odessa's medical institutions were also present at the meeting and shared their positive experiences of significant health improvements through adaptive sports. Additionally, the use of virtual reality systems for individuals with disabilities was demonstrated.
