Exercising with mobility problems

Exercise is a great thing for all bodies, disabled or not. It can help alleviate symptoms of depression, relieve stress and anxiety, improve your outlook on life, and help boost your self-esteem. It works by releasing endorphins that allow you to feel much better, so don’t limit yourself if you have a disability. It can be a little more difficult to find the best exercise regimen for you, but once you do, you can start reaping all the rewards that exercise brings.

If you have a disability that involves a mobility issue, there are a few things to focus on in your training. Cardio, strength, and flexibility training will help increase your heart rate, improve your range of motion, help prevent injury, and help reduce any pain you may have. The trick is to start slow and work your way up gradually so you don’t overdo it and then want to stop exercising altogether. Just like anyone else starting an exercise regimen, it’s also important to stick with it and expect ups and downs. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is an exercise program.

If you’re limited with what you can do because you’re in a wheelchair, there are wheelchair and indeed chair exercises (great for anyone!) that you can do. These include chair aerobics or something as simple as air punching. You can also do resistance training with a light resistance band that you attach to your chair or a doorknob and gently pull to increase your resistance. There are also therapy pools in most cities that allow you to exercise with the added benefits of water. Shoulder presses, wheelchair sports, bicep curls, and triceps pushdowns are also great things to try while sitting in your chair. However, while you’re in that chair, you want to make sure the brakes are on and your knees are at a 90 degree angle if possible, sit upright, and use those abs for good posture at all times. This will help prevent injury and keep you in a great position for those great workouts.

With just a little ingenuity, anyone with a disability can embark on an exercise program and reap the rewards. Don’t forget the rules about proper warm-ups, stretches, and cool-downs, and of course, drink plenty of water at all times. The best advice of all? Have fun!