Effective workouts for someone in a wheelchair

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ssmaling
ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! I'm looking for effective workouts for someone in a wheelchair who has no use of their legs. My niece has arthrogryposis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthrogryposis) and has no use of her legs, but really wants to lose weight and get to a weight where it would be easier for her to get around. Any advice and/or suggestions are welcome. Thank you. :D

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  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Seated exercise

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xC9khisFPA



    Most DVDs are aimed at seniors....but Chair Dancing, Chair Yoga, and Sit to Be Fit are a couple of brand names
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
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    can she swim?

    i really don't know, but if she could swim before it might still be safe for her to swim now.

    like i said, not sure. Guess you'd want to talk to a doctor or something before that.

    we used to have things called 'pull bouys' that you'd squeeze between your legs so they would float at the top and you didn't have to use your legs.

    if she was an avid swimmer maybe you could come up with something like that.

    FYI- the above might be horrible advcie
  • AnnetteCorrado983
    AnnetteCorrado983 Posts: 12
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    try you tube for wheelchair exercise
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    google up wheel chair body builder.

    she - I assume does not want to go that route- but working a wheel chair is perfectly normal/do-able.
  • ssmaling
    ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
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    Thank you everyone. I really appreciate your suggestions. :)
  • ssmaling
    ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
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    can she swim?

    i really don't know, but if she could swim before it might still be safe for her to swim now.

    like i said, not sure. Guess you'd want to talk to a doctor or something before that.

    we used to have things called 'pull bouys' that you'd squeeze between your legs so they would float at the top and you didn't have to use your legs.

    if she was an avid swimmer maybe you could come up with something like that.

    FYI- the above might be horrible advcie

    This is a great idea, but unfortunately we don't have a pool nearby that has a lift. :(
  • Asherah29
    Asherah29 Posts: 354 Member
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    My moms best friend and her daughter are both in wheel chairs and use a pool regularly as exercise, no lift other than a friend or two needed. :)
  • ssmaling
    ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
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    My moms best friend and her daughter are both in wheel chairs and use a pool regularly as exercise, no lift other than a friend or two needed. :)

    That's great! Unfortunately that wouldn't work for her right now. Maybe down the road a bit though!
  • Asherah29
    Asherah29 Posts: 354 Member
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    Is she very limited in her mobility? The mother is paralyzed from the waist down due to and accident and the daughter is slowly loosing function due to a birth condition. Generally we just help them into the pool, the daughter still has some function in her legs and more in her arms so as long as shes in the shallow end she can swim with no help. She usually has the help of a floatie in the deep end. The mother has no function in her lower limbs so we have a raft or noodle that she uses to keep herself afloat while she swims around.
  • rebalee8
    rebalee8 Posts: 161 Member
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    The Sit and Be Fit series is designed for people with mobility issues:

    http://www.sitandbefit.org/
  • ssmaling
    ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
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    Is she very limited in her mobility? The mother is paralyzed from the waist down due to and accident and the daughter is slowly loosing function due to a birth condition. Generally we just help them into the pool, the daughter still has some function in her legs and more in her arms so as long as shes in the shallow end she can swim with no help. She usually has the help of a floatie in the deep end. The mother has no function in her lower limbs so we have a raft or noodle that she uses to keep herself afloat while she swims around.

    The swimming wouldn't be a problem, it's the getting from the chair to the pool to the chair. It would be tough to do without a lift. Later down the road when she is closer to her weight goal it might not be an issue.

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