Being active with a disability

Getting and staying active can help your overall health and make daily life more manageable. Plus it’s great for your mental health, too. The key thing is to get moving in a way that works and is comfortable for you.

Regular aerobic exercise – the kind that makes your heart beat faster – and exercises that strengthen your muscles are important for your health and wellbeing.

Adults aged 19 to 64, including wheelchair users, are advised to do:

• At least 150 minutes a week of aerobic activity
• Strength exercises on 2 or more days a week

Do not worry about hitting these targets straight away: it’s more important to find an activity that you enjoy.

What activity is right for you?

The kind of activities that are right for you and can improve your fitness depend on your level of physical ability, confidence and the types of activity that appeal to you.

Ideas include:

• Swimming
• Wheelchair workouts
• Using a rowing machine adapted for wheelchair use
• Wheelchair sports such as basketball, netball and badminton
• Seated exercises

Help and support

• Activity Alliance is a UK charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity
• The NHS in the UK has fitness advice for wheelchair users.
• Get Yourself Active is a programme run by user-led pan-disability charity Disability Rights UK.
• British Blind Sport is a UK charity for children and adults with sight loss.
• Mencap, a charity that helps people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives, has produced Move With Mencap (pdf) full of fun walking activities.