3.1 Exploration of one’s own physical
abilities
Overall, the participants reported strong positive experiences of
being supported and pushed to explore the limits of their physical
abilities. All participants reported beneﬁts from these explorations,
such as improved performance in the exercises, higher training
intensity or functional gains such as improved balance or the
ability to run again. The organization of the intervals of the
exercises supported participants’ ability to increase their training
intensity. Participants felt that the detailed exercises in between
intervals made them more ready or warmed up for the next
running/walking interval. The opportunity to choose the terrain
(hilly or ﬂat) and walking/running route were appreciated, and
technique corrections by the physiotherapist were reported to
facilitate physical performance. The majority of participants
highlighted that they reached higher intensity than expected
during these sessions, and for many, the outdoor intervals
mediated participants’ strong emotional experiences. One person
described this as follows:
The feeling of using my body! That my legs are working and I
can run! It is a positive feeling— enhancing the feeling of being
alive! I also enjoyed feeling tired after training— as it gave my
negative thoughts a break.(ID10, EDSS: 1)
However, two individuals reported a soft-tissue injury during
running (ankle sprain, hamstring strain), one experienced
increase in dizziness, and three described negative feelings
associated with their failure to achieve high intensity:
FIGURE 2
Model of participants’experiences and interconnections. Theﬁgure displays the four categories generated (inner circle). The categoriesExploration of
one’s own physical abilitiesand New insights & beliefsrepresent individual aspects, andProfessional leadership, tailoring & co-creation of enjoyment
and An engaging environment represent contextual aspects shaping participants experiences. Individual and contextual experiences from the
intervention were perceived by participants as promoting (+) and hindering (−) their beliefs in own physical capability (outer circle).
Dahl et al. 10.3389/fresc.2024.1303094
Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences 06 frontiersin.org