Although exercise can present challenges to individuals with a disability, it need not be a barrier to good health. Being disabled doesn't necessarily mean that a person is unable to successfully manage physical tasks such as exercise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that like everyone else, people with disabilities need to be active to be healthy. Therefore, the availability of accessible exercise equipment in health clubs, gyms and fitness centers is necessary.
Hand Cycles
Hand cycles offer individuals who have little or no use of their legs an excellent way to exercise. Hand cycling gives those with limited mobility a means to improve cardiovascular fitness and increase upper body strength. The bikes can be used for recreational riding as well. Instead of using foot pedals, these bikes are operated by hand power. Some are designed to steer by the rider leaning his body. Others are controlled in part by movements of the trunk. Hand cycles also come equipped with hand brakes.
Arm Cycle Ergometer
While arm ergometers aren't standard pieces of exercise equipment in all gyms, they are becoming more readily available. Arm ergometers resemble bicycle pedals but are powered by the arms instead of the legs. The machines provide individuals with a way to exercise the upper body. A person could operate large ergometer exercise machines while sitting or standing. Smaller, tabletop designs are also available. Ergometers allow you to raise your heart rate for a low-impact aerobic workout. To operate an ergometer, you sit on a seat and grasp handles in front of you, moving your arms in a circular motion to pedal. An ergometer provides cardiovascular benefits, yet allows for wheelchair access.
Activity Mitt
Activity mitts can be helpful to people who have trouble grasping or gripping objects. These mitts work well for individuals who want to use exercise equipment, but have trouble holding on with their hands The mitts makes it easier for individuals to use ergometers, hand cycles, weight machines and free weights. Velcro straps hold the hand in place. An opening for the thumb allows you to grip an object or the handles on exercise equipment more securely.
Other Exercise Tools
The use of resistance tubes and elastic bands can benefit individuals who can't use weights easily. These simple exercise tools make it possible for anyone to get a resistance workout without needing heavy or cumbersome weights. Individuals can also benefit from ankle and wrist weights that they strap on. Some more complex exercise machines come equipped with safety belts for disabled individuals who are partially paralyzed. The belts help hold the individual in place while working out. Other exercise machines are designed so that you can pull a wheelchair up to the equipment. You then hook the wheelchair to straps to hold it in place during exercise. With the availability of more wheelchair-accessible health-club facilities, adaptive exercise machines are becoming more common as well, making it easier for disabled individuals to use fitness equipment as part of their exercise programs.
References
- Challenge Magazine: Handcycling101
- National Center on Physical Activity and Disability: Activity Mitts
- Msnbc.com: Disabled Face Barriers in Attempts to Get Healthy
- American College of Sports Medicine: Health-Related Fitness for Children and Adults With Cerebral Palsy
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Living
- United Cerebral Palsy: Exercise Cycles and Ergometers
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