Stay active with inclusive gyms

Stay active with inclusive gyms

02/02/18

Posted by: The personal injury help and advice team

It’s no secret that staying active and getting plenty of fresh air and exercise is great for everyone’s physical and mental well-being.

Living an active lifestyle and getting fit can help improve physical functions to help make your life a lot easier. Benefits include having more energy, improved respiratory system, stronger muscle strength, less achy, stronger stamina and sleeping better… the list goes on. Being healthier also means a reduction in the chance of obesity and a decreased risk of health problems such as a heart attack or stroke.

Regular physical exercise provides lots of mental health improvements too. By releasing endorphins, exercise is proven to reduce stress, anxiety and depression, which is really important if you’ve been injured in an accident that has affected you both physically and mentally. Not to mention the social benefits of exercise, such as increased independence, a boost in self-esteem, enhanced co-ordination and better strengthened balance.

However, it can be really frustrating if you’ve sustained an injury which means you are less able than you used to be, which in turn can affect your active lifestyle. It may mean that the gym you once attended no longer suits your needs – perhaps it doesn’t have wheelchair access or you don’t feel it offers equal opportunities.

This is where the Inclusive Fitness Initiative comes in…

The Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) is a national programme that supports leisure and fitness organisations in becoming more inclusive and accessible for disabled, differently-abled and non-disabled people. It has been established for over 10 years, has a national coverage of approx. 400 IFI accredited gym facilities and is managed within the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS).

The initiative works closely with organisations across the country to promote more accessible facilities, inclusive fitness equipment, staff with disability training and inclusive marketing and policies; providing an easier, more supported workout for anyone who needs it.

Whatever your level of physical ability, there are always options available to suit your preferences. Why not take a look at some of the IFI accredited gyms in your region and kick start your active lifestyle?

If you’d like to add a IFI accredited gym to the below directory, please get in touch here.
Source: English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS).

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