Purpose: The primary aim was to describe sports participation of Dutch children and adolescents with lower limb deficiencies (LLD). The secondary aim was to explore perceived limitations concerning sports participation.
Methods: A total of 103 children and adolescents with LLD, aged 8-18 years (mean 11.7 years), were asked about their sports participation using a study-specific self-report questionnaire.
Results: Children and adolescents with LLD frequently (78%) participated in sports activities, and most of them (68%) participated in the sport of their preference. Just over half of all children (52%) perceived an inability to participate in specific sports. Physical performance (running) and endurance were mentioned as the most limiting factors in participating in certain sports.
Conclusion: Children and adolescents with LLD in the Netherlands participate in a variety of sports. Despite dependency on lower limb prostheses in most cases, children and adolescents with LLD have a high potentiality of participating in sports.
Keywords: Sports participation; children and adolescents; lower limb deficiency; lower limb prostheses.