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NCHPAD - Building Healthy Inclusive Communities

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Benefits of Exercise


Children with a physical disability participating in an exercise class.
Children with a physical disability participating in an exercise class.

Although research on exercise and disability has been gaining popularity in the last couple decades, the literature is sparse on the exact dose of exercise to elicit the most optimal improvements in health for most disabilities, especially those that are cognitive in nature. Exercise has been documented to improve physical ability and quality of life in children with disability, such populations may include cerebral palsy (Gates et al., 2012), intellectual disabilities (Bartlo et al., 2011), and neuromuscular diseases (Abresch et al., 2012). Research suggests that exercise also improves cognitive function and brain health in children with both physical (Ploughman et al., 2008) and intellectual disabilities (Pastula et al., 2012).

Examples of benefits of exercise may also include:

  • Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
  • Reduced risk of diabetes
  • Reduced risk of cancer
  • Enhanced weight management
  • Delayed symptoms of some progressive diseases
  • Improved bone density
  • Improved overall quality of life and psychological well-being
  • Improved functional independence when performing activities of daily living
  • Improved communication and psychosocial health through group exercise

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