Physical fitness is an important aspect of daily life for everyone, regardless of age or ability level. Taking part in physical activity can improve a person’s physical and mental health, and promote general wellbeing, especially as we get older.

Major benefits of physical fitness include:

• improved muscle, heart and lung function
• increased energy levels
• improved muscle strength and length, and improved balance
• improve pain
• helping to control weight
• improved ability to fight infections
• improved mood and decreased stress
• improved memory, planning and the ability to do multiple tasks
• reduced risk of chronic conditions, including osteoporosis, diabetes and heart-related diseases.

For adults with CP, there are many ways to incorporate activities into your daily life that will improve your overall fitness. If you would like some advice about how to do this, talk to your healthcare team about helping you to identify the physical activities that most suit your needs and abilities level. This is also important to do whenever you feel your physical ability or mobility may be declining.

CP can cause a broad range of movement issues, so every adult with CP will have different ability levels. For example, if you have spastic diplegia (that primarily affects your legs), you may be able to do a variety of activities, because you may use your arms. If you have spastic quadriplegia (affecting your arms and legs), you will have much more restricted movements.

It’s a good idea to experiment to see which physical activities your child or young person seems to enjoy or shows interest in. It is likely there will be a way to adapt the activity to make it safe and fun for them to participate in.

For example, if your child or young person wants to attend a community gym, it is important that gym staff can develop an individual program, with exercises that are suited to your child or young person’s level of mobility and skills. This will help prevent injury or other long-term problems.

A physiotherapist can work with a personal trainer to tailor and review any gym-based program, to make sure it is appropriate for your child or young person.

There may be community recreation or fitness groups in your area that suit your child or young person’s interests. Activities could include anything from swimming and aquatic activities, and wheelchair sports, to dancing or horseback riding.

An added benefit of participating in community group sporting or exercise activities is that it provides the opportunity for children and young people with CP to connect with others and develop friendships, while improving their physical fitness.

Some of this information is provided and produced courtesy of The Future Thinking Project, Ability WA.