Mobility Restrictions Don’t Mean You Can’t Exercise: Working Out With A Disability

As we are constantly being reminded from every angle, to be healthy you need to eat the right foods and exercise. That’s all good and well for able-bodied people who can go for a run or do an aerobic exercise routine, but what about those who are unable to due to being in a wheelchair you may ask? Well, the good news is, that it is rather simple to exercise without moving your legs if you know how.

Exercising for those with other mobility restrictions such as a leg or foot injury or a disorder that limits your ability to move is just as important. If you do have an injury, the main thing to remember is to not put that injured part of your body under any undue stress, to prevent further damage. Your medical practitioner will be able to advise you on what would be best for you with your personal circumstances.

These mental barriers can seriously deter many from undertaking any strenuous exercise, regardless of whether they have mobility or not. If you are worried about exercising in a gym with other people around, do your exercise at home. For those who think it is going to be too difficult to exercise, start out slowly, doing a little bit at a time, then slowly increase the amount of time you spend exercising. This should help overcome that "blockage" you may have towards exercise.

Working Out In A Wheelchair

The main types of exercise that are recommended for people in a wheelchair are those that include cardiovascular and flexibility routines. These not only improve your overall fitness, they also help to relieve or prevent decubitus ulcers from forming, which is a common problem among those that have to sit all the time. These exercises also aid your posture and can help to relieve pain in the back.

It is possible to do "chair aerobics", which is a series of repetitive movements that can be done from a chair. Aerobics increases your heart rate and helps you burn off all those excess calories. Any form of exercise that is repetitive is useful, and repetition is a common factor of any strength training. By doing things repetitively, you can loosen up your joints quite well.

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Although running, jogging and walking may be out of the question, many people with mobility issues find it easier to exercise in the water. This is because the water has the ability to support their body, and the risk of injury to joints and muscles is greatly reduced. Strength training largely focuses on the upper body for those that are wheelchair bound, but this too can improve your overall fitness.

Making Working Out With Limited Mobility Work: Don't Lose Your Motivation

One of the top tips on starting to exercise is to choose an activity that you will find enjoyable. The more you like it, the more likely you are to continue with it, without finding it a boring chore. Start off with small goals that are more attainable, and then slowly increase the length of time you are exercising and the type of exercises. It’s a good idea to have a set routine regarding the time of day you are going to exercise. If for example you decide that you will exercise everyday at 8 am, you are likely to keep to the schedule.

If you happen to miss a few days or even weeks of your exercise routine, don’t be too discouraged, as it takes around about a month to develop the habit of regularly exercising.

Some people find it boring and less motivating to exercise alone, so try and find a "buddy" to exercise with. You could even do it while sitting in front of the television, or try it with music playing.

Strength training for the upper body can be practiced in many different ways when in a wheelchair. The use of weights such as dumbbells, or anything you have around the house that is a suitable weight like a bag of flour or tin of food can greatly enhance the exercise. Another option is to use resistant bands, which can be attached to anything like a door handle, furniture or even the wheelchair. These are great for shoulder rotations, arm and leg extensions.

Many gyms nowadays have programs specifically designed for people with limited mobility. Some even have yoga classes that are suitable for those in a chair. This is not something you should undertake at home by yourself when you first start out though; it is safer to learn in a setting with a professional to guide you. Doing yoga helps to increase your range of motion and your flexibility.

It is important to stretch your muscles and joints regularly throughout the day, every day. When you are confined to a chair day in and day out, if you don’t use these muscles, they can become stiff and atrophied. For those who suffer from a lot of pain, stretching also helps to alleviate the severity of the pain.

Common sense should tell you that under no circumstances should you exercise an injured part of your body. This can further aggravate the injury, particularly if there is a joint, bone or muscle injury. You should take to your health practitioner before undertaking any exercise at all. Also, if you start to suffer from sudden pain, chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath or and irregular heartbeat, stop what you are doing immediately and call for assistance. The purpose of exercise is to improve your health, not make it worse!

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People may have reduced mobility for any number of reasons, and for many, it is a temporary problem. For others who are less fortunate, the mobility problem may be permanent. Those who are confined to a wheelchair can develop a whole host of complications due to lack of movement, so for them it is especially important to exercise in any way they can.