Persons with disabilities are less likely to engage in regular moderate physical activities than persons without disabilities. Changing this reality, however, has now become a primary goal of The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
The Council published a report in the June/July 2008 Research Digest encouraging health and fitness experts to promote "programs, services, and facilities that are universally designed and fully accessible to all people, with and without disabilities."
People with Disabilities at Higher Risk
It is estimated that 40-50 million people in the U.S. have a disability; many of these are children and young people. As the majority of the population becomes older than 65, disability and its secondary consequences become major issues.
While it is true that more than half of Americans do not follow the recommendation of 30 minutes of exercise per day, five or more times per week, persons with disabilities report even higher rates of inactivity and of obesity. They are also more likely to smoke.
Barriers to Exercise
Some barriers to regular exercise faced by persons with disabilities include cost of membership to fitness centers, lack of transportation, lack of information regarding available wheelchair-accessible facilities and programs, lack of accessible equipment in the centers, lack of available/affordable equipment for home use, and the perception that fitness centers are unfriendly environments for people with disabilities. Additionally, many persons with disabilities don't know what exercise program is suitable for their particular condition.
Professionals who work in public health (local and state health departments) are becoming more aware that their job of preventing disease, injury, and disability also includes preventing secondary disease (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, osteoporosis, colon cancer) for persons with disabilities.
Getting People with Disabilities Fitness Help
Professionals working in fitness and recreation centers as well as rehabilitation facilities can help with this endeavor. The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is a one-stop resource center for information on physical activity and disability. Included on the website are appropriate exercises for individuals with a specific disability, available adaptive equipment, locations of accessible fitness programs and team sports opportunities, and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Disability and Health team is also working to promote these same goals set forth by the Council.
For more information, refer to "Promoting Inclusive Physical Activity Communities for People with Disabilities," guest author James H. Rimmer, Ph.D.; President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Research Digest, Series 9, No. 2; June/July 2008.
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