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The psychological and social benefits are just as important as the physical benefits that a person receives from being physically fit.
It is simple. Exercise is good for anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are in a wheelchair, use crutches, have mental diseases or you are perfectly healthy. Anyone can benefit from exercise. Those people who possess a specific disability may experience a different type of benefit than what an able-bodied athlete might. Sports participation or participation in exercise not only can increase their longevity in life, it can make their everyday living style easier. Those who are in better physical shape and use wheelchairs can maneuver their chair better than those who are not in the same shape can. They may not have as much of a problem going over curbs or they may possess more confidence in handling their chair. People with disabilities who are fit have less chance to become injured from the everyday strain on the joints due to the use of adaptive devises. In many ways, being physically fit can also be considered a form of preventative health. To conclude, regular exercise, being part of a competitive sport, recreational play or any physical activity is beneficial to those with disabilities. They physical benefits are easily measured. They can be tested and observed. The psychological and social benefits are a little harder to see with the eye but must not be overlooked. All the benefits are a positive reflection from involvement in sport. What must happen is the involvement in sport must continue to increase. |
 | The spinal injured athlete |
| Athletic identity and sports orientation of adolescent swimmers with disabilities |
| Comparison of wheelchair athletes and nonathletes on selected mood states |
| Psychological well-being in wheelchair sport participants and nonparticipants |
| Exercise and alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis |
| Children, sports and chronic diseases |
| Horseback riding for individuals with disabilities: Programs, philosophy, and research |
Wells, C. L., & Hooker, S. P. (1990). The spinal injured athlete. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 7, 265-285.
The benefits from exercise that the athlete with disability receives are easily recognized. If suicide were eliminated, the life span was 10.5 years following SCI (spinal cord injury). The physiological benefit from regular exercise unquestionably adds to the longevity of the wheelchair users life. Five components of physical fitness were reviewed from various studies. These five components were body competition, pulmonary function, cardiovascular efficiency, muscular strength and endurance and anaerobic power. In some studies, athletes with SCI were compared to able-bodied athletes, athletes who used wheelchairs, and persons who use wheelchairs but are not athletes. In other studies athletes with SCI were assessed before and after specified training sessions.
| Results demonstrated that the able-bodied athlete had less fat than the SCI subjects, and that the athletic SCI was lighter in body weight and leaner that the sedentary SCI person. |
| Athletes who used wheelchairs had higher values of oxygen output probably due to the training of the respiratory muscles during exercise. |
| Cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory efficiency was compared amongst wheelchair athletes and nonathletes. Results were somewhat inconclusive. The higher the spinal cord lesion, the more limited the maximal oxygen uptake. This is probably related to the idea that there is less muscular development in the limb and trunk the higher the level of injury is. Some of the data collected from previous research however, does show clearly that individuals with the same level of injury have greater power output if they are an athlete. Well trained athletes can even have a greater output over able-bodied persons. |
| The maintenance of musculature and endurance is very important to wheelchair users for everyday mobility. One study reviewed used a 7 week training program to test strength and endurance before and after the program. After 7 weeks participants showed significant advances in the use and ease of using crutches for a long distance. They also reported significant gains in mechanical deficiency and their well being. |
| Another study reported gains in cardiorespiratory and strength after an 8-week arm-cranking session. |
| Anaerobic power was the last of the fitness components to be reviewed. There wasn’t a lot of comparative data to review. A 30 second all-out effort on a wheelchair-on-rollers ergometer was tested. Higher lesion athletes decreased in power over 30 seconds during the test compared to those injured in the lower region. |
There is a need for more information on physical fitness and the enhanced quality of life that disabled people receive from exercise. There is also a need to push the popularity of physical fitness in the SCI population. It is obvious that the increased fitness level is beneficial to an SCI person and their longevity in life.
Martin, J. J., Mushett, C. A., & Smith, K. L. (1995). Athletic identity and sports orientation of adolescent swimmers with disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 12, 113-123.
Sports is viewed as a good tool to develop positive psychological as well as physiological traits. For all abilities it has been a great socialization opportunity to be with your peers. Lastly, sports can be used as a tool to combat discrimination. The able-bodied population receives the opportunity to see the athletic ability of those with disabilities. This study was used to measure the importance that sport holds for athletes and the benefits they receive.
Fifty-seven subjects with disabilities participated in this study. All were youth swimmers. The average of swimmers were 16.2 years. Packets were sent to swimmers' homes and information pertaining to the study and its purpose was enclosed. The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale and the Sport Orientation Questionnaire were used.
Results showed swimmers to have moderate athletic identities. Secondly, scores report swimmers being very competitive with scores closely related to those of the non-disabled athletes. A big factor was that they looked forward to competition but losing wasn’t highly disappointing. Thirdly, adolescent swimmers with disabilities are highly motivated to achieve in sport. They direct their motivation to both normative and self-referenced goals. Some swimmers who strongly identify with their roles as athletes also stated that athletics was the most important social role they filled.
To conclude, sport identity is important to adolescent athletes with disabilities. They benefit psychologically from the achievement of goals and socially by the interaction and recognition they receive from participating.
Paulsen, P., French, R., & Sherrill, C. (1990). Comparison of wheelchair athletes and nonathletes on selected mood states. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 71, 1160-1162.
The authors tried to validate the concept that sports participation contributes to good mental health by comparing the mood states wheelchair basketball players and wheelchair nonathletes.
Two groups of male college wheelchair users participated. Twenty-six basketball players and 28 nonathletes were in the study. Basketball players ranged from 1-18 years of experience. The nonathletes indicated that competitive sport activity was not a part of their lifestyle. All subjects had been disabled for two or more years and the majority had acquired injuries. These two groups were administered the Profile of Mood States to examine anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, tension and vigor. A 5 point rating scale was used to identify 65 different adjectives that best described how the athlete felt during the past week including today. Results showed that both groups exhibited and iceberg profile. The authors suggested this happened because of the possibility that all individuals had to overcome problems associated with their disability. The other major finding was that athletes scored significantly better than nonathletes on the mood state of depression. The relationship of the findings showed that the athlete sscored better than the non-athletes on most all areas. These findings support the fact that sport participation is beneficial to the mental health of people with disabilities.
Campbell, E., & Jones, G. (1994). Psychological well-being in wheelchair sport participants and nonparticipants. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 11, 404-415.
A growing number of persons with disabilities are involved in sports. The health benefits one receives from exercise is a proven fact. Physical benefits are not the only benefit obtained. Psychological benefits have become just as important. This article investigates the psychological well-being of wheelchair sport participants and wheelchair nonsport participants. It also researches the influence of competitive level on the psychological well-being of wheelchair sport participants. Well-being was evaluated by considering mood, trait anxiety, self-esteem, mastery and individual self-perceptions of health and well-being.
Subjects were 93 wheelchair athletes and 29 persons with a disability who did not compete in sports. Mood traits were measured by POMS 65 word adjective, self-report questionnaire. Trait anxiety was measured by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Trait anxiety will measure how one deals with stress. The Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale was used to find results to one’s self-esteem. Mastery or being in control of the important forces that effect our life, was measured by Pearlin and Schooler’s (1978) seven item scale. Lastly, health and well-being were measured by the author’s own questions. The questions had to be rated on a 9 point Likert-type scale. Questions related to the "I am healthy" statement.
Results showed that athletic participants scored better on the POMS in the area of tension, depression, anger and confusion but worse on vigor compared to the nonathletes. There was a significantly greater level of mastery by those who participated in sport and a significant indication that participants in sports have a much higher positive perception of their health and well-being. The second part of the study focused on well-being of athletic participants as composed to elite athletes. The higher the competitive level of the athlete, the better the athlete scored on the tests.
The results give support to the hypothesis that exercise and competitive athletics can be just as beneficial to the psychological well-being as the physical well-being.
Poser, C. M., & Ronthal, M. (1991). Exercise and alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 19, 85-92.
Degenerative diseases must not be overlooked as a disease that will not benefit from exercise. The authors observations showed that exercise provided mental stimulation, maintenance or increase functional capacity, improved appetite, improved sleep, and helped to alleviate depression.
| Supervised exercise programs can be beneficial to Alzheimer’s patients. The benefits are psychological and physical. It often provides patients companionship, daily goals to achieve, and a change in peace and scenery. Alzheimer’s is a slow progressing disease. Exercise programs are safe and do not need to be highly supervised until the disease reaches an advanced point. |
| Parkinson’s disease patients can improve their flexibility, posture, and range of motion by regular exercise. Rigidity (stiffness) can be improved by walking, stationary bike, and isometric and isotonic exercises. For those with multiple sclerosis, benefits from a well designed exercise program include a slower progression of the disease. The most rewarding form of physical activity can provide for an important psychological boost. Spasticity maybe reduced through exercise. |
| The intent of exercise is not to restore strength in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Exercise for persons with MS helps to keep muscles moving and helps reduce the factors that lead to atrophy. Exercise can sometimes reverse atrophy if the conditions has not existed for a long period of time. |
Through regular exercise, persons with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis can continue to enjoy sports and fitness for a long period of time and possibly increase the length of time before the onset of troublesome associated with these degenerative diseases.
Goldberg, B. (1990). Children, sports and chronic diseases. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 18, 45-56.
Chronic diseases affect millions of children in the United States alone. Often those with chronic disease let the affects of these physical abilities restrict their exercise and participation in physical activity. As in able-bodied athletes, sports can be beneficial to the improvement of a child’s psychosocial development as well as physical abilities. Diseases like cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma often burden the person so much that they tend to isolate a child from their peers.
| Studies have shown that psychosocial problems are two to three times higher amongst children with chronic diseases. Some characteristics are poor self-image, sense of inferiority, insecurity, hostility, excessive use of denial, excessive dependence, and lack of social and interpersonal skills. Sports can provide an opportunity to improve all these skills. |
| Exercise can provide a positive influence on the physical abnormalities from these diseases. This article states that physical training can help clean the mucus from deep ventilation and gain in self-image of those with cystic fibrosis. Those with congenital heart disease can improve their maximum work capacity by the use of specific exercise training programs. Significant improvements in peak systolic blood pressure, treadmill times, and maximum oxygen consumption were recorded on those who were affected by Tetralogy of Fallot. These improvements occurred after a training program of walking, running, jumping rope, and engaging in modified aerobic dance. Exercise can increase range of motion and help prevent deformity in arthritic patients. |
It is obvious by the reading that exercise can be a preventive medicine towards the growth of these diseases. Children benefit socially and physically from exercise and sport engagement. Every effort should be made to involve children with chronic diseases into sports.
DePauw, K. P. (1986). Horseback riding for individuals with disabilities: Programs, philosophy, and research. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 3, 217-226.
Literature has suggested that exercise and sports orientation is highly beneficial to the physiological and psychological well-being of those who live with disabilities. This article gives proof to this statement. It reviews articles describing therapeutic riding programs and the medical and educational benefits for participants with disabilities in this program.
A study by Eltze, Pieck, and Clement in 1982 found that light trotting by the horses can be beneficial to the treatment of posture problems in scoliosis. They also discovered that riding amongst individuals with cerebral palsy helped to lessen the spasticity of the adductor muscles in the legs.
Physical benefits are not the only benefits discovered through these investigations. Educational benefits are derived from horseback riding by stimulating the person with the disability. The interest and motivation to learn as well as building self-confidence and self-esteem are some of the educational and mental benefits those who have participated in therapeutic riding have received. One study showed riding therapy for physically and mentally handicapped to be highly therapeutic. This evaluation, though done over 20 years ago (1975), showed gains in motor skills, language skills, emotional control, social awareness, peer relationships, self-concept, work skills, and self-confidence. Physical education teachers evaluations from parents and self-reports were used to obtain this information. Teachers evaluated the riding program to be "very good" or "excellent."
In the few studies that were examined, there was definite proof that through the use of horse riding, there were definite improvements in physical, mental, and educational functioning. Even though this therapy has been around for many years, at the time of this study the authors felt like there could be a lot more "advertising" done to push this type of therapy.
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