What are some exercises for people in wheelchairs?

There are many exercises that people in wheelchairs are able to do to increase endurance, mobility, muscle mass and prevent joint pain or injuries. Every individual has different starting points. It is hard for many to begin exercising and that extra support can be a difference. Here are some exercising tips but remember to consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise regime.

Stretching

One should always warm up when exercising to prevent injuries and to maximize workouts. Sitting up straight extend hands out in front then pulling towards the chest pushing shoulders back can help mobility, warming up the muscles and lubricating joints. Another warm-up one can do is bringing one arm down and the other up and stretching back then switching. The last warm-up that can help the blood flowing is reaching up towards the sky with both arms then bending them down to the side for elbows to touch above the hips. It is important to control breathing while stretching to allow oxygen to your muscles.

Weight-training

Before beginning weight training one should consider what is the best weight to begin with. Some will begin by getting used to stretching and gaining control of movement to prevent injuries. Others have experience lifting and are able to begin with a certain amount of weight. In many cases, supervision is encouraged to help assist with support mentally and physically.

Simple exercises range from slower speed to faster speeds to allow for a more intense workout. The fist pump is done by sitting up straight and bending arms next to your sides and reaching up to the sky then bringing it back down repeatedly. After 10 switches to the next hand and repeat for several sets.

Another exercise is the side punch by punching to one side then the other with control. This allows the back to stretch and gain control as well as muscle mass. Reaching over the head with one arm while the other rest on your side and repeat with the other arm is another simple exercise.

Using dumbbells of the desired weight one can do curl-ups by placing elbow on the knee then curling it up towards the chest. A chest exercise that can be done with dumbbells is chest push, it assimilates a push-up but adds strength to the back of the arm. This is done by extending arms in front with the weights and bring the weights towards the shoulders using a push-up movement.

There are many exercises with weights wheelchair users can do that are simple yet effective. Make sure to ask a physician for approval first.

For more information on how to exercise check out the article below:
https://www.karmanhealthcare.com/blog/2013/07/16/how-to-exercise-if-you-are-wheelchair-user/