Fitness

Exercise is good for everyone, regardless of the disability, spinal cord injury level and final functional capabilities. Some people exercise to lose weight or shape up. Others do it to get stronger, to build endurance and stamina, to help keep joints loose and flexible, to reduce stress, to get more restful sleep, or just because it makes them feel better. Whatever motivates you to exercise is a good reason.

There is an epidemic of obesity in the U.S. Unfortunately, people with disabilities are even more prone to carrying excess weight – this is due to a combination of changed metabolism and decreased muscle mass, along with a generally lower activity level.

There are compelling reasons to shed the extra pounds. Research shows that people in wheelchairs are at risk for shoulder pain, joint deterioration, even rotator cuff tears, due to the amount of stress they place on their arms. Quadriplegics, too, have pain in their shoulders. The more weight to push, the more stress on the shoulder. Plus there’s the risk the skin faces: as people gain weight, skin folds develop which trap moisture, greatly increasing the risk of skin sores.

It’s never too late to get a fitness program going. According to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, people with disabilities are less likely to engage in regular moderate physical activity than people without disabilities, yet they have similar needs to promote their health and prevent unnecessary disease. Here’s more:

• Physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve health benefits. Significant health benefits can be obtained with a moderate amount of physical activity, preferably daily. The same moderate amount of activity can be obtained in longer sessions of moderately intense activities (such as 30–40 minutes of wheeling oneself in a wheelchair) or in shorter sessions of more strenuous activities (such as 20 minutes of wheelchair basketball).
• Additional health benefits can be gained through greater amounts of physical activity. People who can maintain a regular routine of physical activity that is of longer duration or of greater intensity are likely to derive greater benefit.
• Previously sedentary people who begin physical activity programs should start with short intervals of physical activity (5–10 minutes) and gradually build up to the desired level of activity.
• People with disabilities should first consult a physician before beginning a program of physical activity to which they are unaccustomed.

Source: The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Craig Hospital