Sports and Fitness Center

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION/ BACKGROUND “Sport means all forms of physical activity which, through casual and organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels.” Despite the volume of evidence indicating the benefits of sports and regular physical activity for health and functioning, people with disabilities are far less likely to engage in physically active lifestyles than are people without disabilities. Promoting moderate levels of physical activity among people with disabilities is an important goal for public health and public policy, as regular physical activity improves well-being and contributes to the prevention or delay of chronic disease. Little is known about why the majority of people with disabilities fail to integrate regular physical activity into their lifestyle. It has been suggested that an understanding of potential barriers that affect participation by people with disabilities could provide important information necessary for developing interventions that have a greater likelihood of success. The major components of sport and fitness program for people with disabilities are the same as for the general population: cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. What may vary, however, are the types of activities that would be used to improve fitness (e g, use of an upper-extremity ergo meter to improve cardiovascular endurance in a person with a lower-extremity disability, use of a recumbent bicycle in place of a stand-up bicycle for a person with poor upper-body control) and the intensity, frequency, and duration of the activities. With some individuals who are lacking in balance and pulmonary function, additional exercises may have to be added to the exercise prescription. This study will promote sports and fitness facility for people with disabilities to reduce

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