Image courtesy of Pexels. Image is of a person in a wheelchair aiming a basketball at a net.
Keeping Fit When You Have a Disability
Physical fitness is important for everyone. People with disabilities may take different approaches to exercise, but regardless of how we pursue it, we all need to make it part of daily life. Regular exercise has physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Adults with disabilities are more likely to suffer from diabetes, heart disease, obesity, stroke, and some cancers than people without disabilities. Regular exercise can help to avoid those conditions. Here are some tips from The NWT Disabilities Council to get you started!
Begin Slowly, but Make Sure You Begin
Check with your health professional before beginning any exercise program. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. They recommend 2.5 hours of physical activity per week for people with or without disabilities, and it can be broken down into sessions of shorter intervals. Any movement is better than no movement, so even if you begin with five minutes a day, this is a good start. Walking is a very popular option, and if this is possible, you can start by taking a short walk in your neighborhood. Strength training with weights or resistance bands is also of great value and should be done at least twice a week.
Options for Non-walking Individuals
If walking is not a good activity for you, there are other possibilities. If you’re confined to a wheelchair, then rolling yourself on a “walk” can be a cardio workout. Water exercise, swimming, rowing, hand-pedaled bicycling, and seated sports, such as volleyball and basketball are good options. There are many strength training workouts for both the upper body and the lower body that can be done seated. All workouts can and should be modified according to your fitness level, and the ways your disability impacts movement.
Fitness accessories and technology
Some traditional fitness equipment, such as free weights, wrist and ankle weights, and resistance bands is useful for people with or without disabilities. Rowing machines, exercise bikes, and even step and ski machines can be modified for those with missing or injured limbs.
Many videos and online fitness programs for people with disabilities are available. The National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) has created a free web-based 14-weeks to a Healthier You program, a personalized fitness and nutrition program for people with chronic health conditions or disabilities.
The Special Olympics has developed a free program, Fit 5, available online and based on simple concepts of drinking enough water, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and getting regular exercise. The program can be personalized and includes possibilities for gradually increasing the difficulty of your workout.
Nutrition Is Part of Fitness
Healthy eating is important for everyone and can be especially critical for people with disabilities since they are at higher risk for many conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiac problems. Drinking plenty of water rather than flavored drinks which contain sugar is a foundation for good health. As you exercise more, water intake becomes even more essential. Two servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables daily. Also, getting plenty of protein matters, as it will be needed for building muscle. Substituting healthy snacks, such as trail mix, fruit, or small servings of yogurt for junk food can go a long way toward improving overall nutrition.
Make Healthy Choices for Stress Relief
We all have days that go badly, and high stress can take a toll if not managed well. Although many people reflexively reach for alcohol or sugary foods to comfort themselves and “take the edge off the day” these are not sustainable habits. Devote some time to thinking about healthier habits you can turn to when the going gets tough – especially at home. Some people meditate, some go for a walk or turn to other exercise, some drink a glass of water and do some deep breathing. Find the activities that work best for you and practice them until they become automatic resources you reach for when stress builds up. You get to choose whether you enhance your fitness or make it more difficult to remain healthy.
Fitness is particularly important for people with disabilities, and there are many ways to approach it. Being deliberate in your choices about exercise, nutrition, water intake, and stress management can enhance the quality of your life, so take control and take care of yourself.
The NWT Disabilities Council exists to educate, advocate, and support the self-determination of all individuals with disabilities. Call (867)873-8230.
This article was written by Suzanne Tanner of ablesafety.org for the NWT Disabilities Council