Likes´ Chief Specialist Piritta Asunta has been awarded the title of Docent, special field Adapted Physical Activity (APA)

Piritta's spark for adapted physical activity was ignited during her studies at the University of Jyväskylä's Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, when, in addition to her studies, she supervised adapted physical activity groups and joined the Nordic network of adapted physical activity researchers.

The dissertation published in 2018 dealt with identifying and supporting for pupils with motor learning difficulties in a school.

Adapted physical activity refers to physical activity designed for individuals who require adaptations to participate. This may be due to disability, illness, lowered functional ability, or social situation. In Finland, approximately 15 % of the population has some form of limitation in their functional ability due to illness or disability. In the near future, the need for APA will increase due to the ageing Finnish population.

Piritta has participated in numerous international and national specialist groups and research projects and so she has extensive networks. Internationally, she served in the years 2021–2024 as a European representative on the board of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity. Currently, she is for the International Society of Research and Advocacy for Development Coordination Disorder (ISRA-DCD) as Finland's representative and participates in the Justice, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI) working group of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA).

Piritta Asunta is also giving lectures to early childhood education and care personnel and teachers to identify and observe motor skills difficulties in children and young people.

-In my lectures, in addition to presenting research information, I want to provide concrete examples and tools to those who work with children and young people, says Piritta.