Spina bifida, a congenital defect involving the spinal canal, can result in paralysis and weight gain. According to 2009 report by the Spina Bifida Association, after age six, 50 percent of children, adolescents and adults with spina bifida are obese. Aerobic exercise helps promote lung and cardiovascular function as well as decreases obesity in children and adults with spina bifida. However, people with spina bifida need to consult their doctors before beginning an aerobic exercise regime.
Definition
Spina bifida usually occurs during the first month of pregnancy when the two sides of the spine, or backbone, normally close and cover the spinal cord, spinal nerves and the meninges, or tissues that cover the spinal cord. The spines of infants with spina bifida do not close properly and can produce situations in which both the spinal cord and meninges remain in place or in which the meninges protrude from the back. However, the most common form of spina bifida, myelomeningocele, results in the protrusion of both the spinal cord and meninges and generally causes some degree of paralysis. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, myelomeningocele may affect one out of every 800 infants born.
Benefits
Aerobic exercise benefits those with spina bifida through promoting muscle function and endurance, improving bowel function, improving mood and reducing stress. It also boosts immune system function and helps prevent diabetes as well as atherosclerotic heart disease, reports the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, or NCPAD. In addition, aerobic exercises reduce the likelihood of obesity, which improves to a decreased ability to move and burn calories in people with disability.
Types
Any exercise that increases the heart rate and makes breathing harder is considered an aerobic exercise. Aerobic activities specifically used to benefit people with spina bifida include upper-body simple-movement exercises, rowing, hand cycles and arm ergometers, or upper-body exercise machines with wheels. In addition, those with spina bifida can participate in specially-adapted sports such as basketball, track and swimming. The NCPAD recommends 20 to 60 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise, or multiple 10-minute sessions, three to five times a week.
Considerations
Before performing an aerobic exercise regimen, those with spina bifida need to consider several important safety recommendations, according to NCPAD. For instance, start exercising at a slow pace and progressively build-up. Before exercising, warm up for 10 minutes and cool down afterward. It is also vital to regularly monitor blood pressure and heart rate while exercising and to wear appropriate clothing --- those with spina bifida often have irregular body temperatures. Always maintain an upright posture --- using straps if necessary. In addition, people with spina bifida need to empty their bowels or bladders before performing an aerobic activity.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Myelomeningocele - Overview; Neil K. Kaneshiro, M.D., et al. ; Nov. 2, 2009
- National Center on Physical Activity and Disability; Spina Bifida-- Physical Activity Guidelines; Shubhra Mukherjee, M.D. ; March 2, 2007
- Spina Bifida Association; Obesity
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevenion: How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need?
