Fun and Effective Exercise Ideas for People with Disabilities

Don’t let age, disability, illness, or injury get in the way of your health and fitness goals. There are many wonderful ways to stay active with a disability! Finding fun and effective forms of exercise will help you maintain your strength and mobility, so you can enjoy more of the activities you love. Limited mobility shouldn’t hold you back from exercising. Here are some great disability-friendly exercise ideas from  Zensah  to help you stay active and healthy!

Fitness for Seniors with Disabilities

If you’re a senior who hasn’t exercised in a while, getting into the world of fitness can be overwhelming. As Suddenly Senior explains, there’s also a chance that exercises you used to know  are no longer right  for your older body. For example, sit-ups can be hard on the spine and squats can be painful for those with knee conditions. Look for more suitable alternatives that put less strain on your joints and tendons.

Although walking outdoors is a great form of gentle aerobic exercise for seniors, try to expand your repertoire to challenge your body in new ways. Look for low-impact workouts that you can do indoors. This will also make it easier to maintain your exercise routine when inclement weather strikes! For example, you could go swimming at an indoor pool, get a gym membership, or follow along with online exercise videos at home.

The Senior Living Facility Option

Is the plan to move into a senior living community because you require 24/7 care for a medical issue? If so, you’ll want to find a community or nursing home with exercise facilities or adequate outdoor space for safe exercise. When choosing a facility, look online to find detailed facility reports, pricing info, payment options, and reviews from other families for nursing homes in your area. The good news is that Miami  has a ton of options,  with more than 570 assisted living facilities to choose from.

Building a Well-Rounded Fitness Routine

Regardless of your age or ability, Empower Your Wellness notes that your fitness routine should involve  a few different important types of exercise:  cardiovascular, strength training, and flexibility. Cardio exercises will support your heart and respiratory health. Strength training is important for building muscle and bone mass. And flexibility exercises can improve range of motion, reduce pain, alleviate stiffness, and prevent injury. Aim to incorporate these three different exercise types into your regular routine. 

Start Slow and Build Gradually

The last thing you want is to hurt yourself when you pick up a new exercise regimen. Start with an activity you enjoy and  stick to your own pace.  Don’t let anyone tell you that you should be pushing yourself harder—only you know your body! 

Not sure where to start? Research some sports, exercises, workouts, or fitness classes that work well for people with your specific disability. For example, people with spinal cord injuries  may enjoy hand cycling, rowing, or wheelchair basketball. Yoga is a great way to work flexibility training you’re your routine because the practice is incredibly accommodating to people of all needs and abilities. Look up chair yoga, adaptive poses, and  modifications for your disability.

Make Use of Helpful Tools

Tech tools and assistive devices can help you get more out of your exercise sessions. Try to  find some adaptive exercise equipment  that can help with any fitness challenges you may be facing. For example, gripping gloves can be useful for people with impaired hand movement or strength. You can even get special wheelchair workout kits and gym chairs that are designed to help people achieve a whole-body workout from a seated position. 

Likewise, yoga props can make it easier to adapt yoga poses for your disability.  Props can be used  to assist your balance, support parts of your body, or relieve pressure from certain muscles. Finding the right adaptive equipment can make a huge difference in the quality of your workouts!

A disability shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the benefits of a regular workout routine. Whatever your physical situation, look for ways to work around your disability and find new ways to move your body. For those needing to move into assisted living, that includes finding senior living facilities with opportunities for exercise. A regular exercise routine will enhance your life in countless ways!

Zensah  specializes in compression and sports apparel with products that revolutionize the way athletes, of all kinds, achieve and perform. Shop online today, or call us at 305-935-4619 for more info!

RESEARCH AND WRITING CREDIT:

Jenny Miller
https://stopndd.org/
Putting an End to Nature-Deficit Disorder