It's important for everyone to maintain an active lifestyle to remain healthy and fit. With two million new wheelchair users in the U.S. every year, there's a need for fitness advice for people of all abilities.
If you're a wheelchair user, here are some tips to help you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle that'll benefit you in the long run.
Why You Need Exercise
Wheelchair users can have a difficult time obtaining cardiovascular physical activity. This is why you need to find wheelchair-friendly exercises that get your heart rate up. You also must keep your hands and arms in tip-top shape to avoid strains and injuries that can occur from maneuvering your wheelchair. Overall, being healthy will allow you to be more self-reliant for the long term.
Cardiovascular Exercises
How can you get your heart rate up? Here are a few activities you may be interested in pursuing that'll get you sweaty in the best way possible:
- Basketball
- Badminton
- Netball
- Swimming
- Wheelchair sprinting in an open area
You can also utilize wheelchair-friendly gym equipment that is meant to get your heart rate up, like a rowing machine.
Arm Workouts
It's important for wheelchair users to maintain an active lifestyle by exercising their arms to avoid strains and other injuries. Aside from utilizing wheelchair arm pads, wheelchair cushions, and wheelchair rim grip tape, you can exercise your arms, wrists, and hands by using the following exercises and tools:
- Equipment-free shoulder and ab workouts through intense stretches
- Using a medicine ball with chest squeezes
- Utilizing resistance bands
- Pull-ups
- Using dumbbells
- Knee lifts
- Toe taps
Find a few exercises that work for you and your body. Your arms and stomach will likely be sore from these exercises, but when you do them regularly, your body will thank you for it.
Outdoor Activities
With the right wheelchair-friendly equipment, you can maintain an active lifestyle outdoors, too. You may take a liking to:
- Wheelchair hiking in nature trails and local parks
- Fishing on a nearby lake
- A camping adventure
- Using wheelchair-friendly scooters and bikes
Alongside motivating friends, you can maintain an active lifestyle with the best wheelchair-friendly equipment. Start thinking about what activities you'd like to try, and consider creating a new routine so that being active becomes a part of your lifestyle for the long term.