| Even if you use a wheelchair exercise is vital to health. | | | | stretching exercises is recommended. There should be |
| Making time amongst the continual struggle of | | | | a rest day between workouts and no concentration |
| balancing one's life may be difficult but it is not | | | | on the same muscle groups for two consecutive |
| impossible. Working out and balanced nutrition go hand | | | | sessions. Aim at a minimum of three sessions a week. |
| in hand. | | | | At the beginning of a session it is vital to warm up and |
| Many people are simply not naturally attracted | | | | stretch gently and at its end to cool down for about |
| towards physical exercise. For someone in a | | | | ten minutes. |
| wheelchair there may be a real and understandable | | | | A fitness regime needs resistance, and strength |
| fear of pain. People confined to a chair are all too | | | | training as well as exercises which stretch the |
| familiar with shoulder, neck and back strain and it's | | | | muscles. Resistance training involves working with |
| associated pain. | | | | equipment such as expandable rubber bands. These |
| But the benefits must be firmly borne in mind. | | | | can be used for pull-downs, shoulder rotations and arm |
| Structured physical activity will strengthen the core | | | | and leg extensions. Strength training involves weights |
| muscles, improve balance and circulation, improve the | | | | and will help make practical tasks such as pushing the |
| quality of sleep and help with digestion. | | | | wheelchair, holding items and transferring in and out of |
| In addition the person will feel and look better. There will | | | | a wheelchair much easier. |
| also be some relief of musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, | | | | Once a commitment has been made to an exercise |
| cramps and stiffness. Aerobic work strengthens the | | | | program the next question is how, where and with |
| heart and lungs and in conjunction with a diet will assist | | | | whom. Equipment need not be a major expense. Soup |
| weight loss. Additional benefits are a lessening of the | | | | cans, water bottles, beach and volleyballs and many |
| risk of such disabilities as diabetes, high blood pressure, | | | | household items can be used while working out. |
| heart disease and osteoporosis. | | | | Exercise bands, medicine balls and weights are not |
| One aspect of regular exercise which cannot be | | | | expensive to purchase. |
| over-emphasized is its importance in maintaining good | | | | There are a number of wheelchair exercise machines |
| emotional health. People with disabilities may (like | | | | for home use such as Vitaglide as well as |
| anyone else) feel angry, depressed, frustrated and | | | | hand-cyclers and other cardio equipment. |
| confused. Regular workouts will help to fight | | | | Some people will be in a position to engage a personal |
| depression. | | | | trainer who will be able to design suitable work-outs, |
| As one wheelchair user puts it "If you can move | | | | teach how to use the fitness equipment properly, help |
| something you can exercise." This is not to suggest | | | | with transfers from gym machines and keep the client |
| that forming new positive habits as an adult is easy. | | | | motivated. |
| Increasing numbers of wheelchair users are adopting | | | | Many gyms are unfortunately not designed with |
| exercise plans. Young people especially can see that | | | | wheelchair users in mind. In the past ten years gyms |
| in some instances it is possible to be in a wheelchair | | | | aimed exclusively at clients who use wheelchairs have |
| and have a strong, healthy body. | | | | been springing up in the United States. Equipment in |
| Before embarking on a program it is extremely | | | | such establishments will have been specifically |
| important to discuss the matter with a medical doctor, | | | | selected and is likely to be highly adaptable. |
| physical therapist or accredited personal trainer to | | | | People who are working out on their own at home |
| establish exercise restrictions and any potential medical | | | | could workout to videos specifically designed for |
| complications | | | | people in wheelchairs. There is a growing list of such |
| The following observations were made by people who | | | | videos often produced by medical practitioners. |
| are themselves wheelchair users. All point out that it is | | | | Besides these forms of exercise there are organized |
| necessary to be highly focussed and not be | | | | sport for those who are competitive. Included in this |
| discouraged.Each session should be carefully planned. | | | | category are basketball, archery, and fencing to |
| This not only saves time but allows for advance | | | | mention a few. Then there are also many forms of |
| decisions on which exercises are to be undertaken. | | | | wheelchair dancing. |
| They recommend always having some activities which | | | | If you don't exercise you should most certainly do so |
| are personally enjoyable. You can always lift weights | | | | because it seems that normal wheelchair use is not by |
| while watching tv. | | | | itself sufficient. Creating an exercise plan and following |
| If a person has not been physically active for | | | | it will give a feeling of accomplishment and of taking |
| sometime a transitional plan to strengthen key muscle | | | | responsibility for ones own body. Good luck! |
| groups and increase movement range through | | | | |