Exercise for Every Body

Last month, I wrote this post in response to an article about walking as a means to improve health and fitness. When I hit “publish” I had no idea what type of reactions, if any, my readers would have. My fellow wheelchair-using readers all said, “Right on!” Or something very similar.

Then, more and more people started asking me about options for physical activity for people with disabilities. I started to provide information when a friend posted this comment on my Facebook page:

Why don’t you research and write your own article on fitness for those with disabilities?

Before long, the idea took hold. Why don’t I do more than just complain? While I am not an expert on physical fitness, in my prior career I did spend time researching and writing about health and wellness for people with disabilities. So, here goes my attempt to tackle this topic. Keep in mind, I am not a person who loves to exercise. In fact, I am pretty much a person who would rather do data entry into an Excel spreadsheet before exercising. And I HATE data entry.

Whenever anyone asks me about fitness for people with disabilities, I start by referring them to the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD), a “public health practice and resource center on health promotion for people with disability.” NCHPAD works to improve health and wellness for people with disabilities through increased participation in physical and social activities. Their website is a wealth of information and a great resource for people of all ages and abilities.

I really like their campaign How I Walk. The movement aims to rebrand the word ‘walking’ so everyone is included in the many walking initiatives. Through images, like the one below, videos and social media messaging, the campaign hopes to show how walking is an activity for people of all ages and abilities – even those of us who cannot “walk” in the traditional sense of standing on two feet and putting one foot in front of the other.

I especially like this campaign because I regularly go for walks in my community. From April to October, as long as the weather allows, I spend at least part of every weekend taking walks on many of the local bike paths and trails. My favorites are the Old Champlain Canal Trail and the Erie Canal. Parks & Trails New York has a great interactive map for people who want to explore the Erie Canal, which stretches across New York State. I enjoy being out in nature, and the trails allow me an accessible opportunity to explore. And while I may not be actively wheeling a manual chair, the simple act of maintaining balance and equilibrium on an uneven surface still requires muscle use. Trust my knees and hips on that!

One of my favorite paths, the Old Champlain Canal Path is mostly accessible.

Sometimes people hear “exercise” and immediately think “gym” or “fitness center.” While I do have many disabled friends who do exercise regularly in fitness centers, that has never really been an option for me. My physicians have discouraged extended land exercise for me, so the benefits of joining a gym do not merit the expense. Instead, with the help of my Personal Assistants (PAs) I perform regular stretching at home and use exercise bands a few times a week.

The one activity my doctors and physical therapists agree is great for me is aqua therapy. Three mornings each week, I go to a local therapeutic pool and complete an exercise routine focused on strength and cardio. I’m not going to lie – I love the pool but I still hate exercise. I go regularly because it reduces pain and makes me feel better to spend three hours each week in warm water. I am privileged to have the income to be able to afford a membership, and PA staff who can accompany and help me. These are obstacles for many of my disabled peers.

Exercise doesn’t need to be organized or expensive though. I have friends who exercise by turning up the radio in their house and dancing to their favorite tunes. Other friends of mine count on their intimate moments with partners to burn some extra energy.

Any movement that gets your blood flowing and heart pumping is better than no movement at all!

30 Days of Thanks Day 30 – The Pool Gang

I have never been a fan of exercise. This is partly because it is difficult for me to physically move my body, and exercise requires movement to be effective. It is also partly because I have never experienced the endorphin rush that is described by others who enjoy exercise. I don’t feel good when I exercise. I just feel fatigued and tired.

The only form of exercise I can do is aquatic therapy in a therapeutic pool. There are three accessible therapeutic pools in my area, and each one is at least a half hour drive from where I live. So, getting to the pool is a four hour commitment – 40 minutes to drive there, time to get undressed and transfer to a pool chair to go in, an hour in the pool, an hour to shower and get dressed, and 40 minutes to get back home. Add the fact that I need another person to accompany me for any of this to happen, and I don’t get to the pool that often.

Or rather, I didn’t get to the pool that often before May. But now that I am still trying to get stronger and recover from my femur fracture? I have become a regular at the Sunnyview Hospital therapeutic pool on Mondays and Wednesdays for the 7 AM open swim.

Today I give thanks for the other regulars at the pool. Jose, Chip, Dominick, Alberto, Susan, Tom, Sister Joan, Sue, The Doctor and his wife (I still don’t know their names after 6 months), Will, Debbie, and the others who sometimes cycle through welcomed me and my Personal Assistant Tina with open arms. They offer support and encouragement to everyone in the pool. When someone is absent, they worry. If someone has good news, they celebrate.

I still haven’t turned into a person who loves to exercise. But I look forward to spending time with my morning friends in the pool. The comraderie between us is positive and uplifting. As Tina put it when I read her a draft of this post driving to the pool this morning, it’s like we’re one big family.

Recovering from an illness or injury is difficult and requires determination and stamina. Having a peer support group keeps me focused. I know they will question me if I start to slack off. Last week when I walked for the first time while submerged in the pool they gave me kudos.

Thank you to my morning friends who greet me each Monday and Wednesday. I appreciate you welcoming me into the fold. There’s no better way to start the day.