2. Barriers & Facilitators

Individuals with disabilities might face different difficulties engaging in physical activity than those without disabilities. These difficulties are often referred to as barriers. Barriers reported by individuals with disabilities include costs, lack of specialized equipment, lack of specialized instruction and support, access to specialized fitness centers, lack of support from friends or family, fear of judgement or failure, and transportation issues.⁴

Overcoming barriers can be challenging but is possible. Some ways to tackle common barriers related to built environment (the environment you are exercising in and around) include:

• Knowing about programs, places, and spaces for physical activity,
• Creating a plan for transportation to and from the facility (e.g., using public transportation, paratransit, ridesharing, or choosing nearby facilities when available)
• Planning for navigation within a facility (e.g., taking a guided tour of a new facility, arranging a human guide or workout partner to help navigate ongoing physical activity within a fitness setting)
• Having social support for your physical activity or exercise sessions (e.g., having a buddy or a group to be active with)
• Finding fitness professionals who can aid in helping you create exercise programming to suit your specific needs
• Allotting enough time for transfers between activities or settings

Individuals with disabilities may utilize various accommodations to improve access to physical activity and exercise experiences. Accommodations that alleviate barriers to physical activity are often referred to as facilitators. Facilitators reported by individuals with disabilities include: environmental factors such as accessible doors, adaptable equipment, resources for exercise program planning, social support from friends or family, transportation access, and specialized exercise instruction.⁴

Taking the time to list out your own barriers and facilitators to physical activity is a good first step toward finding ways to address barriers and enlighten facilitators. Having conversations with physical activity professionals and your personal support system of family and friends about your specific barriers might be an effective way to address some of your personal barriers.

The next section will discuss some general physical activity guidelines for individuals with disabilities.