Paraplegia is paralysis of both lower limbs and can be caused by an accident, malformation, infection, or disease such as polio. If you are paraplegic and in a wheelchair you may be more susceptible to inactivity related diseases such as obesity, type II diabetes, and heart disease. Heart disease is one of the major problems and causes of death in paraplegics. Various types of exercise, including aerobic exercise, can improve your health, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness.
Considerations
Plan to exercise four to five times a week for 30 to 45 minutes. A balanced exercise program should include exercises for muscle strength and aerobic conditioning, with three days a week devoted to aerobic activities. Begin a new exercise routine slowly to allow your heart, muscles, and joints to get used to new activity. Always seek medical advice before starting an exercise program.
Stretch
Stretching is important for everyone before exercising. Wheelchair athletes are susceptible to overuse injuries and tendinitis in the upper arms. Stretching your arms and upper body before exercise can help prevent injuries and soreness. Self-propelling your chair backwards is a way you can stretch your arms and upper body.
Sitting Push-Ups
Doing sitting push-ups throughout the day is a way to develop upper body strength. If you use your arms to raise your lower body off the chair, you relieve pressure on your lower extremities and build upper body strength.
Wheelchair Sports
Wheelchair sports like basketball, volleyball, track and field, tennis, and swimming can improve aerobic fitness. These types of activities must be of a sufficient intensity, duration, and frequency to cause changes in your cardiovascular health.
Free Wheeling
Free Wheeling is a good aerobic activity if you can wheel fast enough and on the right type of terrain to increase your heart rate for a sufficient amount of time according to your training plan and maximum heart rate goal. You need to wheel on an unobstructed pathway in order to have a chance at having a sustained increased heart rate. For example, an outdoor path, long sidewalks, or a track are great for this activity. If the activity feels easy, it is probably not giving you a good enough workout. Try a different location, distance, or pattern of wheeling.
Resistance Wheeling
For aerobic exercise, try resistance wheeling on rollers or an ergometer. An ergometer consists of a set of rollers where the rear wheels sit and a platform which supports the front wheels. An ergometer allows simulation of wheelchair motion and allows speed and resistance to be used which increases the intensity of your workout. Using rollers or ergometers allows you to exercise anywhere, any time and the resistance helps to build strength.
References
- British Journal of Sports Medicine: Why Exercise in Paraplegia, Michael Kjaer, 2000
- Canadian Paraplegic Association: Cardiovascular Endurance For Paraplegics, Brenda Loveridge B. PT, Ph.D., et al., January 24, 2011
- University of Iowa Healthcare: Quick Guide to Aerobic Exercise for People Who Use Wheelchairs,
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