Redefining Body-Self Relationships Through Outdoor Physical Activity: Experiences of Women Navigating Illness, Injury, and Disability

Physical challenges such as illness, injury, and disability significantly alter women’s relationships with their bodies, disrupting established notions of functionality and self-worth. This study re-examines the Holistic Model of Positive Body Image and Outdoor Physical Activity through secondary analysis focusing on women with illness, injury, and disability. From the original sample of N = 553 female participants, open-ended survey responses were identified from n = 84 participants (15.2%) who self-disclosed as having illness, injury, or disability to examine how outdoor settings facilitate positive body image. Through reflexive thematic analysis, the study revealed three key mechanisms: (1) personalized redefinition of functionality transcending standardized metrics, (2) therapeutic engagement with natural environments fostering embodied acceptance, and (3) cyclical reinforcement between physical capability and psychological wellbeing. The findings confirm the model’s utility while indicating necessary adaptations to address the fluctuating nature of body functionality. The adapted model emphasizes how outdoor recreational activities create contexts for reimagining body-self relationships across the spectrum of physical experiences—from temporary recovery to ongoing adaptation of persistent conditions—with implications for rehabilitation professionals, outdoor educators, and healthcare providers.