Physical disability does not mean physical inactivity. Deconditioning--multiple changes in the body brought on by inactivity--and weight gain can affect anybody regardless of physical abilities. For people with spinal cord injury, getting out of shape can begin immediately after injury, which makes physical therapy and rehabilitation important to be as soon as possible. Eating right, getting enough rest, and exercising regularly also will prevent deconditioning.

Ways to get exercise include water workouts, exercises done with someone else to help move joints for flexibility, daily care activities for natural stretches, wheelchair sports, weightlifting machines, videotapes workouts, and others.

Exercise helps keep down weight. One study of 300 persons with spinal cord injury found that they gained on average a pound a year. That doesn't sound like much, but in 10 to 20 years it adds up. Excess weight has been linked to some cancers, heart disease, stroke, back pain, and adult-onset diabetes. It also makes transferring difficult and causes problems for personal assistants. One research study established that people with paraplegia should weigh 10 to 15 pounds less than the recommended weights on life insurance charts; those with quadriplegia should weigh 15 to 20 pounds less. Diets are temporary solutions to being overweight. Permanent weight loss comes from changing eating habits and making lifestyle changes such as eating less fat, drinking plenty of water, and having smaller portions.

For more information, contact the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Independent Living, 4089 Dole, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, (785) 864-4095, RTC Web site

This research was supported by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research in the U.S. Department of Education.#343

Research and Training Center on Independent Living. (1996). Deconditioning & weight gain. Lawrence, KS: The Research and Training Center on Independent Living. The University of Kansas.

Keyword: Diet