Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation for Young People with Physical Disabilities

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Physical Activity

What is Physical Activity and How Much is Enough?

Did you know that Physical Activity (P.A) is any movement made by your body that uses energy? (WHO, 2016). So, thinking about what P.A is, how much would you think is actually enough..?
I’ll give you some help! ;)

Your child, as well as any other child should be doing at least one hour of medium to hard P.A daily. (WHO, 2016). These types of activities will increase your childs’ breathing and heart rate, which will warm up their body in preparation for further activities. Your child may also work up a sweat on hot days with this level of intensity.

The more difficult activities may leave your child feeling out of breath during the activity - don’t worry, this in completely normal! An example of hard physical activities could be dancing, swimming or skateboarding, or other activities that your child would do on a daily basis, for example, walking or cycling. You should try to get your child to do some of these activities two or three times a week, to improve their aerobic capacity, cardiovascular health, bone health, muscle strength and their flexibility. (NICE GUIDELINES 2016).

These guidelines are set out for both children living with and without disabilities, and those with medical conditions, provided suitable adaptations and modifications are put in place for each child based on their exercise capacity and any other special health/risk issues they may have. If your child has a disability, they should engage in regular physical activity based on their own abilities and should always avoid inactivity.

If you are concerned about the amount and type of physical activity that would be suitable for your childs abilities click <a href="https://health.gov/paguidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf">here</a>, or if you are still unsure, you can get further information from your local G.P or a physiotherapist. Your G.P and also Physiotherapists will play a major role in promoting P.A options for you and your child with a disability.Would you believe that people with disabilities were 82% more likely to engage in P.A if a doctor or physiotherapist recommended it, ‘Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’ (2016).

In Summary

• It is most important your child participates in an appropriate amount and type of P.A to suit their ability.
• Your child should begin slowly, based on their ability and current level of fitness, e.g. begin with 10 minutes of regular activity if your child has been inactive for some time, gradually increase the amount of time, followed by increasing the intensity of the activity
• Include aerobic activities to increase your childs’ breathing and heart rate
• Familiarise yourself with adaptations and modifications for your child, and be comfortable making alterations where necessary
• Always avoid your child being inactive, any P.A is better than none!

More Benefits of Physical Activity!

Now, just incase we haven’t convinced you just yet to sign your child up (or yourself!) to some sort of P.A, here's a few more reasons why you should get those running shoes on, and get your body moving…!

<a href="http://www.who.int/topics/physical_activity/en/">http://www.who.int/topics/physical_activity/en/</a>

• It boosts confidence and self-esteem, and makes you feel good and happy in yourself
• It helps to control weight - (so you wont feel as guilty for having that extra donut!)
• Improves gross and motor skill development, e.g. assists with writing (REF EMCK)
• Improves their ability to be competent in school and in P.A (REF EMCK)
• Increases their adjustment towards their feelings and emotions (REF EMCK)
• Improves muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness
• Improves bone and functional health
• Reduces the risk of falls and fractures
• Physically active wheelchair users tend to go to hospital less than those wheelchair users who don’t do P.A.
• Wheelchair athletes who do P.A have fewer pressure sores and kidney complications than wheelchair users who don’t do P.A
• P.A also has a lessening effect on challenging behaviour (Moon et al, 1982; Nishiyama et al, 1986; Lancioni et al, 1994 and 1998; Washburn et al, 2002; Nary et al, 2000 cited by Boland, 2005).
• P.A is important in maintaining fitness for daily living, reducing functional limitations, helps with independent living and preventing, delaying and reducing chronic illnesses and secondary conditions (Fentem, 1994).

What If My Child Has Cerebral Palsy?

You may want to consider the following if your child has cerebral palsy:

Children with cerebral palsy are said to participate in lower levels of P.A than any other child, and they are beginning to show an increase in mobility problems as a result of this decreased P.A level. 2,3,4,5 Some of the things you might also want to remember if this is the case with your child, they are more likely to be less fit than others, more likely to have issues with their mobility down the line, and reduced muscle tone. However, not to worry, this can all be prevented by participating in regular activity weekly, rather sooner than later to avoid this inactivity creeping further into their teenage years!6
“Physical activity stimulation program for children with cerebral palsy did not improve physical activity: a randomised trial “Leontien Van Wely, Astrid CJ Balemans, Jules G Becher, Annet J Dallmeijer (REFERENCES 2,3,4,5 & 6 USED)

What Can Happen If My Child Doesn't Exercise?

Now take a look at some of the more serious health risks associated with inactivity, would make you think eh?

• Not having enough P.A is 1 of the 10 leading risk factors for death across the world and is on the rise in many countries, adding to the burden of NCDs (noncommunicable diseases, i.e cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes) and affecting general health worldwide.
• People with disabilities are three times more likely to have the above complications than those without disabilities, but thankfully aerobic P.A can help reduce the impact of these complications. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/pa.html
• People who are less active have a 20% to 30% increased risk of death compared to people who meet the above P.A recommendations.
• Inactivity can also lead to an increase in needing others, a decrease in socialising with friends and becoming more tired, feeling low or upset, putting on weight and an increase in pressure sores.
• Physical inactivity increases the risk of coronary heart and cerebrovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, several cancers (e.g. lung, prostate, breast, colon, others), osteoporosis/fractures, depression and dementia, among others.
  
  

Recent Related Research (from <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/">Pubmed</a>)

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References

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