Physical Activity for People with Disabilities

"Everybody needs physical activity for good health. Most adults with disabilities are able to participate in physical activity, yet nearly half of them do not get any aerobic physical activity.¹ Learn how people with disabilities can find their own path to physical activity.

Physical activity plays an important role in maintaining health, well-being, and quality of life. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition pdf icon[1.9 MB]external icon, physical activity can help control weight, improve mental health, and lower the risk for early death, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. For people with disabilities, physical activity also can help support daily living activities and independence. All adults, with and without disabilities, need at least 2.5 hours per week of aerobic physical activity, at a moderate-intensity level, to gain many of these benefits.

People with Disabilities

One in four U.S. adults is living with a disability,² including

• Serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs
• Deafness or serious difficulty hearing
• Blindness or serious difficulty seeing
• Serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Difficulty doing errands alone
• Difficulty dressing or bathing

Adults with disabilities are more likely to have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer than adults without disabilities.³Physical activity can help reduce the impact of these chronic diseases. Disability does not have to equal poor health. Most adults with disabilities are able to participate in regular physical activity; however, nearly half of all adults with disabilities do not get any aerobic physical activity..."
Disability and exercise