In Oct Public Health England (PHE) launched new resources to support the 11.5million disabled people in England. It is reckoned that 42% of these people are inactive, compared to 21% for those with no disability – half the amount!
The good news is that 80% of disabled people would like to do more physical activity, but barriers prevent them from being more active. Safety is usually cited as the major barrier but, an evidence review by PHE, has shown that when performed at an appropriate level and intensity, this should not be a concern.
Improving health for the disabled
An infographic for healthcare professionals and disabled people has been produced (see the bottom of this article) that better highlights the benefits and practical steps to getting active to improve health. The infographic has been developed in collaboration with 350 disabled people, 10 disabilities organisations and 50 healthcare professionals and is endorsed by the 4 UK Chief Medical Officers.
Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Dame Sally Davies, said: “Being active is good for our health – both physical and mental. It is important that disabled people in the UK do not miss out on the benefits that being active can bring.
“I hope that the new infographic, designed by disabled people for disabled people, will help more people reap the benefits of physical activity in a safe and healthy way.”
Barry Horne, Chief Executive for Activity Alliance, said: “These new resources are a step forward in ensuring that the health sector thinks about disabled people as individuals, who can be active, given the right opportunities.
“Our research shows that attitudinal, economic and societal barriers continue to prevent so many disabled people from being active. There remains a significant amount of work to do so we welcome PHE’s collaboration on this matter of huge importance to public health.”
If you are looking at increasing the amount you exercise, why not take a look at our gym equipment, or FES cycling solutions, all specifically designed for to be used from a wheelchair.
Support for disabled adults
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