Individuals with disabilities should consult with their physician prior to beginning any physical exercise program and select an exercise routine which complements their capabilities and preferences.

CDC guidelines suggest that adults engage in moderate or intense muscle strengthening activities on two or more days per week that involve all major muscle groups. Cardiovascular exercises like walking, swimming, cycling and water aerobics also offer benefits to people living with disabilities in getting fitter support coordination Melbourne.

1. Push-ups

Over 21 million adults in the US have disabilities. Exercise may seem challenging at first for those with limited mobility; however, exercises like push-ups are an ideal upper body exercise that can be modified accordingly.

Wall or "table" push-ups (using your hands on the edge of a table or chair as support) make push-ups easier, and allow for additional reps. A "diamond" push-up (where index fingers and thumbs touch to form diamond shapes on the floor) targets triceps brachii muscles more directly.

Exercise routine can help boost one's physical and mental wellbeing while increasing confidence. Before beginning an exercise program, however, it's essential that one notifies their physician, physiotherapist or healthcare provider of their intentions and any modifications necessary for their disability.

2. Sit-ups

Physical activity is vitally important for everyone, but adults with disabilities particularly can reap great rewards from engaging in moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities and muscle-strengthening exercises. While using a wheelchair or having difficulty standing may limit what types of exercises can be completed, traditional upper body exercises may still be modified to meet your specific needs.

Alternatively, if your arms cannot lift over your head and shoulders as in traditional sit-up exercises, consider placing your hands behind your head or behind the knees in order to decrease range of motion and complete this exercise more quickly and easily.

As your strength and endurance improve, try decreasing repetitions or increasing weight of resistance bands as a means of challenging yourself more efficiently. Switch up your exercises as much as possible to prevent boredom or injury from repetitive movements; ultimately, the right exercise for you will be one that feels safe and comfortable for you.

3. Cycling

Exercise is important no matter your age or disability; however, finding suitable exercises for the disabled can sometimes be challenging. Luckily, there are a variety of exercises designed specifically to keep people healthy and active.

Cycling can be an excellent cardiovascular exercise to perform from a seated position. Additionally, cycling helps increase endurance for sitting upright - helping increase tolerance of tasks such as driving a power wheelchair or using computer/communication devices.

All participants in the study discovered or continued cycling independently either prior to becoming disabled (Inckle 2019) or following it (see Inckle 2019). All cited its many physical health and wellbeing benefits for themselves - in particular its sense of independence and freedom that many disabled people lack; social isolation was reduced while participation increased among family, community, and leisure activities.

4. Abdominal crunches

Core muscles are vital to ensuring a healthy spine for those who use wheelchairs, according to this SparkPeople video. Accordingly, abdominal crunches may help avoid muscle imbalances and overuse injuries that are so often seen among wheelchair users.

Regular exercise can improve upper-body strength and decrease pain, according to Greco's client Sue Lephew who has been wheelchair bound since her spinal-cord injury at 17 and credits exercise with giving her a higher quality of life and helping overcome depression which typically follows such injuries.

Research suggests that repetitive spinal flexion such as abdominal crunches may increase one's risk for back pain due to increased intradiscal pressure and their repetitive nature (6,17). However, most spinal tissues adapt quickly to stressors and can tolerate repetitive flexing movements without further injury; so before suggesting ab exercises for disabled individuals it would be prudent to consult a physician or physical therapist first.