From living with a disability to recovering from a physical injury, personal mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, ensure that the user is able to maintain certain degrees of mobility and independence.
Using a wheelchair does not necessarily mean having a sedentary and boring lifestyle. Ensuring that you have an active lifestyle is still possible and, in fact, highly encouraged. Not only does being active benefit your physical well-being, but it also boosts your mental and emotional state.
Finding enjoyable and suitable activities is critical to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. While it is harder to find wheelchair-friendly activities, it is not entirely impossible. From travelling overseas to actual physical exercises, do not limit yourself just because you are wheelchair-bound.
In this guide, we will explore why and how you can stay active and healthy despite using a wheelchair, enabling you to feel positive about yourself.
You can still enjoy the benefits that exercise offers in a wheelchair
Limited mobility does restrict and limit certain forms of movement. However, the human body is not designed to be sedentary. We should find ways to remain active however we can.
Exercise is the best way to remain active, and it affects our everyday lives in a significant way. As you exercise, your body produces endorphins, which causes the “feel good” feeling that comes with a sense of accomplishment.
Exercising regularly also raises your heart rate, putting more oxygen in your muscles, as well as building your body. It is highly recommended that you conduct cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening activities for a minimum of 2.5 hours a week.
Wheelchair-friendly cardiovascular exercises
The best part about cardiovascular exercises is that they are the most effective way to remain active, and they can double up great social opportunities. In fact, social activities are a great way to maintain a strong emotional and mental state when being wheelchair-bound.
There are many wheelchair-friendly cardiovascular exercises that you can do, such as tennis, basketball, and netball. In fact, sports such as swimming are best as you can move freely without the use of your wheelchair.
Wheelchair-friendly muscle-strengthening exercises
Moving about in a wheelchair is already a significant exercise that employs the use of your chest and arms. The lack of use in your shoulders and back may lead to muscle atrophy and bone loss. If you are feeling confident, doing pull-ups on reachable bars is the quickest and most effective way to strengthen your back muscles.
If you are looking to target your shoulders, then using dumbbells or resistance bands to do shoulder presses is a great way.
Conclusion
Relying on mobility aids should not be an embarrassment, and it should definitely impede your ability to remain active. While we understand that having to use a mobility aid to move about is something to get used to, we can always find new ways to maintain an active and sociable lifestyle.
We at Falcon Mobility are here to help you with that. From various mobility aids, such as mobility scooters, rollators, and walking aids, to lifestyle products, such as home exercise pedallers and resistance bands, find the best product to help you ensure an active lifestyle despite having limited mobility today! Visit us to find out more!