Guest post: Fun Wheelchair Sports to try out this Autumn

With the night’s drawing in it might seem tempting to lessen your exercise and hibernate ready for winter. It can be especially difficult to find sports to get involved in if you have to factor in a disability too, but with the Paralympics garnering so much praise in 2012 it shouldn’t be surprising that clubs, groups and sporting organisations are coming to the fore, with established and newly created options both providing great autumn activities.

In this post we list a handful of the activities available to wheelchair users to keep the spirit of exercise and wellbeing going well into winter.

Tennis & Table Tennis

With Britons in the top ten for each category (Mens, Womens, Boy, Girl etc.) it is little wonder that wheelchair tennis is becoming so popular. Whether you want to play competitively or just get your child involved in an extra-curricular activity, this is a fun sport which both seasoned and new competitors can play. Also, as an indoor alternative there is table tennis, you can play as frantically or methodically as you want with no stray balls to chase in poor weather.

Swimming

Another sport, which now has some high profile names attached after the Paralympic games, is swimming. Whatever the weather you can always get access to your local leisure centre – some even offer dedicated slots for disability swims – contact them directly to get more information and a pool timetable. This is a great way of getting a cardio workout in a safe and warm environment which can involve the whole family.

Bowls

While it’s true that bowls conjures up images of older people it can be actually played by anyone. There are several organisations and competitions if you want to get fired up on the green, but with indoor bowls available too this can be a relaxing and fun sport to keep you active out of the cold. No matter what your experience level there are clubs and locations across the UK which offer you the chance to get involved.

Archery

Wheelchair archery might not be your first thought when it comes to sports which those with a disability can get involved in, but it can actually provide some key skills. Archery requires great arm strength, but what’s more, you will develop precision and focus for your aim. This makes archery ideal for anyone who wants to develop greater control over their upper body strength. For teenagers, the advent of the Hunger Games films will no doubt fuel interest for archery classes.

Cycling

If you somehow missed the Paralympic games last year then you might think cycling isn’t a feasible idea for someone with a disability or for someone wheelchair bound. Nothing could be further from the truth, there are a raft of opportunities for people to get involved in cycling. Hand cycles are fun and easy to use, putting the pedalling system in better suited position, but these aren’t the only kind of bikes available, specially adapted and created designs are available from such groups as Get Cycling Disability.

So while the weather may not be perfect, you can still get a good daily dose of exercise, mobility and independence with a number of different sports. Improvements are being made with every passing year to allow wheelchair users to get involved in fun sport activities.

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About the author:

Brian has many years experience working with the stairlifts, wheelchairs and mobility scooters specialist team at Stechford Mobility.
http://www.stechfordmobility.co.uk/