People spend time in wheelchairs for a variety of reasons, ranging from illness to injury, while some people may be wheelchair-bound for the rest of their lives. Either way, being in a wheelchair does not necessarily preclude one from exercising and burning calories, as there are many ways to get a workout in a wheelchair, but some use of the upper body and torso, and potentially legs are required to be able to exercise while in a wheelchair.
Step 1
Participate in a wheelchair sport, such as basketball, volleyball or rugby. These sports require constant moving and pumping arms to move around the court, as well as throwing, passing and hitting the ball. According to Health Discovery, a 150-pound person can burn 234 calories when playing wheelchair basketball for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Complete resistance exercises such as push-ups, or use resistance bands to burn calories. The University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development suggests sitting push-ups, in which the arms and upper body lift the body out the chair. The motion simulates that of a dip and has the bonus of relieving pressure on the lower extremities, which can help prevent sores. When using a resistance band, affix the band to something stable, then perform exercises such as trunk rotations, leg extensions and shoulder pull downs, all of which will help tone and build muscle, and burn calories.
Step 3
Swim for a calorie-burning cardiovascular workout. Not everybody in a wheelchair is able to swim, but with some assistance many wheelchair-bound people can exercise in a swimming pool. Pools provide an opportunity to burn calories, potentially more than 400 calories each hour using just the upper body to travel through the water.
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