Exercise for All: Wheelchair Accessible Gym Program

Julie Jones, the blogger behind Have Wheelchair Will Travel and the mother of BJ, a 25-year-old nonverbal wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, recently wrote about a new gym which caters to people with CP, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Gym.

Booking an assessment with an exercise physiologist for BJ, Julie wasn’t sure if it would be to her son’s liking. Since he began going to the gym, BJ has gained a number of new skills like throwing a ball with two hands, and he has increased his endurance – increasing the amount of time on a treadmill from 5 to 15 minutes.

Julie attributes the success of this gym to its excellent team members, their understanding of her son’s disability, and the sense of community it promotes.

In speaking to the gym’s benefits, Julie writes that “Going to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance gym has certainly taken persistence and encouragement to keep BJ working towards his goals but he’s gained so much strength, improved his stamina and an added bonus has been gaining better depth perception.”

OUR TAKE: This is an opportunity for gyms in America and the world over to cater to a new audience during low use periods while performing a needed public service that will garner positive P.R. at the same time.

To read more about BJ’s experience at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Gym, read Julie’s full article at Have Wheelchair Will Travel.