For Those Without Mobility, Wheelchair Exercises Help Maintain Physical And Mental Strength

By Karen Sullivan


People with limited mobility face all kinds of challenges. This is true even of those who are temporarily incapacitated. Without the ability to move freely, muscles begin to lose strength and will atrophy fairly quickly. This eventually results in the loss of independence. Muscles can be protected however, if individuals commit themselves to a serious regimen of wheelchair exercises. Even the severely afflicted can see their muscles become strong and toned over time.

It's not hard to get depressed when you are bound to a chair every day. In order to improve your circumstances, setting goals and making concrete plans to achieve them may help. Family and friends can often be enlisted to encourage and keep you on track with your exercise regimen. If you set aside a specific time each day for some sort of exercise, it will soon become a habit.

Some people find it helpful to hang a printed reminder of the benefits their exercise routine is giving them in a conspicuous place. These benefits include improvements in spinal stability, posture, and circulation. Exercise burns calories and helps keep the affected person's weight in check. It increases much needed flexibility and makes you look fit and healthy. The endorphins exercising generates help with depression and stress.

It's always important to warm up before starting any exercise routine. Your doctor may recommend push ups to strengthen your upper body. Overhead stretches with free weights are great for your back and arms. In order to do these kinds of exercises, it is important to make sure your chair brakes are in place.

Resistance bands are great for chair bound individuals. Tying one end to a doorknob, or another object that will not move, makes it possible for people to do leg and arm extensions. The bands are available in a variety of strengths. You can start out with the easier bands and progress to the more difficult.

If you thought the idea of team sports was an impossibility, you are mistaken. There are a wide variety of options available for those in motorized chairs. You can choose from football, basketball, soccer, table tennis, golf, skiing, just to name a few. Not only will you exercise your heart and lungs, you will burn calories and increase energy levels.

Most people who are chair bound suffer from common injuries. These tend to be related to their upper bodies because of the inordinate amount of use they see. Getting in and out of their chairs and maneuvering through rooms requires a lot of upper body strength. It is not unusual for individuals in chairs to have shoulder pain and suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome.

Whether you are permanently disabled or are in a wheelchair temporarily, it is important to keep your muscles strong and functioning well. Exercising is critical to maximize physical health and improves an individual's mental state. The stronger you are, the more independent you will be.




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