Posted by:
Maya Mohan, Department of Public Health
Maya is the Physical Activity Coordinator for DPH.
A physically active lifestyle is important for everyone’s health and well being.
There’s no time like the present for every one— regardless of ability— to start being active.
Need a little help getting started? Here’s a great resource: The National Center for Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD for short). Their slogan is Exercise is for Every Body. Everybody needs to move to stay healthy. The more our bodies move, the healthier they will be. But many of us just aren’t moving.
Maybe we would be better off if the Surgeon General warned us to “check with our doctor before remaining sedentary”. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans does just that - it releases us from the traditional warning of getting our doctor’s OK to begin an activity program, and is very clear that every body (and everybody) needs to be active.
A person that has a disability is not automatically unhealthy. Far from it! A disability or a chronic condition, as it relates to being active, is just one piece of a person’s overall health to consider when deciding on an activity plan.
Most people who live with disabilities are very capable of being (and want to be) active, but are unsure how and where to begin. People with disabilities do need to talk with their health care provider - not to get their OK to be active - but for individualized, tailored guidance to address their specific needs. Their doctor can also help them figure out how and where to be active.
NCPAD provides much of this information on-line. It offers a wealth of scientific information; guidelines around specific chronic conditions and disabilities; and fact sheets on popular games, sports and recreational activities. It also has information about resources and organizations by state, if you’re looking for more local information. You can even find qualified personal trainers through their database.
Every body should enjoy the quality of life that an active lifestyle provides. I urge you to check out and share NCPAD’s website at www.ncpad.org.
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