The effect of contextual interference on the learning of adapted sailing for people with spinal cord injury

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of contextual interference on learning of adapted sailing for people with spinal cord injury. Seven participants with traumatic spinal injury were selected to undergo learning in an adapted boat equipped with wind-measuring instrument. A learning program, defined by two conditions, (1) blocked practice and (2) random practice, was applied. In blocked schedule, fixed sequence of two maneuvers consist of tacking on a close-hauled course (45°–55°) and gybing on a broad reaching course (135°–145°). In random schedule, the same maneuvers were carried out randomly. Eight 30-min practice sessions were carried out over a period of 2 weeks, in 3 days per week. Velocity Made Good was analyzed in the familiarization test, pre-test, post-test, and retention test. The learning program was effective in both random and blocked practice conditions on all participants. However, there is an evident variability in the results. This study demonstrates the suitability of applying contextual interference to facilitate the learning of adapted sailing. The variability of the results could be related to the heterogeneity of the participants and suggests the need for further research that can provide information about how restricted mobility affects the learning process.