Physical Activity for People with Disabilities: How Do We Reach Those with the Greatest Need?

The 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this year is an opportune time for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to begin thinking about addressing the high rates of physical inactivity among people with disabilities. Recent national estimates on rates of physical activity among Americans (2009-2012) found that more than 50 percent of adults with disability are not meeting the U.S. exercise guidelines of 150 minutes per week. 1 Achieving the U.S. recommended guidelines is far more challenging for many people with disabilities, particularly among those who have difficulty walking, are unable to walk due to some form of paralysis (e.g., spinal cord injury), or cannot walk for long periods due to pain and/or balance impairments (e.g., multiple sclerosis, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.). In general, people with physical disability are more likely to undertake less physical activity during any given day because of high rates of unemployment or underemployment. 2 They may be unable to walk outdoors (the most common form of physical activity in the general population) due to difficult terrain or safety issues. They may be unable to walk for periods long enough to accrue health benefits (i.e., 30 or more minutes). 3 Transportation to and from community fitness facilities, parks, and recreation areas is often difficult to obtain, unavailable, or unaffordable, 4 and many fitness facilities do not have accessible The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and not necessarily of the author’s organization or of the Institute of Medicine. The commentary is intended to help inform and stimulate discussion. It has not been subjected to the review procedures of the Institute of Medicine and is not a report of the Institute of Medicine or of the National Research Council.