When we think of fitness, we commonly think of working out at a gym or doing a daily routine like jogging, walking, or cycling. But we can become—and stay—both physically and mentally fit through many activities besides those commonly thought of as exercise.

While it’s not uncommon for people with physical disabilities to use their condition as an excuse for not exercising, people with disabilities need an outlet for their physical energy just as much as their able-bodied peers to prevent secondary health conditions. Fun fitness activities that include the entire family help everyone feel better about themselves while strengthening family bonds.

Fitness Activities for People with Disabilities – Including Kids!
“Exercise is even more important when a person is physically limited because it can ward off physical complications, including obesity and diabetes, which can result from low levels of fitness,” says Keith Barnie, an instructor of therapeutic recreation at Brigham Young University and a 2002 Winter Games Paralympic athlete. “Physical activities also increase an individual’s ability to cope with stress and anxiety and build self-esteem and confidence, helping them become more self-sufficient.”

Getting Started
Always check with your doctor before starting any new fitness routine. To make fitness fun for your entire family, choose activities everyone can participate in and try changing the routine to avoid the drudgery of doing the same old thing. Let each family member take turns at choosing the activities so that everyone gets to do their favorites and feel that their opinion matters. To make sure fitness doesn’t get lost on the wayside, schedule a regular time throughout the week for physical activity.

You should vary the activities to incorporate all vital elements of exercise throughout the week—include lifting weight for strengthening, stretching to improve flexibility, and continuous vigorous activities that improve endurance, such as walking, running, biking or swimming. To help everyone feel successful, emphasize the importance of having fun and learning rather than adopting a push-to-win attitude.

To measure your progress and create a memorable scrapbook, try keeping a family fitness log, measuring heart rate, distance, and time spent together. Include photos and descriptions of particularly amusing and entertaining things that happened.

Ideas for Fitness Activities for People with Disabilities

•    Visit your local Chamber of Commerce to find out what free and low-cost adaptive recreation and accessible physical activity areas are near your home, including parks, tennis courts, biking and hiking trails, and swimming pools.

•    Many fitness activities and disability exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home or yard or in the local park, including creating a family treasure hunt then running, jogging, and walking to complete it; tossing around different-shaped balls/objects; and playing "Hit and Go" croquet—hit the ball and run to it—across the whole yard.

•    Play traditional and modified backyard sports: basketball, softball, volleyball, and tetherball.

•    Take the family pet for a walk or jog.

•    Turn chores into an opportunity for family fitness. Wash the car on a hot summer day in your swimsuits and have fun with the hose; rake leaves, and then jump in them; or dig and plant in the garden and later reap the bounty of flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

Don’t Think Fitness, Think Adaptive Recreation – Keep it Fun!
The possibilities for family fitness are only as endless as your imagination. Fitness activities for people with disabilities should be as much fun as fitness, especially when kids are involved.

Running out of creative approaches to your fitness plan? For more ideas, visit 99 tips for Family Fitness Fun offered by Shape up America and the National Association for Sports and Physical Education.