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Physical activity in the life of a woman with cerebral palsy: physiotherapy, social exclusion, competence, and intimacy

Version 2 2024-06-03, 10:19
Version 1 2017-07-26, 11:49
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-03, 10:19 authored by Cadeyrn GaskinCadeyrn Gaskin, MB Andersen, T Morris
Although physical activity can have substantial mental and physical health benefits, people with cerebral palsy usually lead sedentary lives. To understand, at an individual level, this inactivity, we interviewed a 29-year-old minimally active woman with cerebral palsy (Alana) about the meanings and experiences of physical activity throughout her life. Using a case-study approach, we found that Alana had adverse childhood experiences with physical activity, including: having to perform difficult, and sometimes painful, physiotherapy; wearing callipers to assist her walking; demonstrating limited competence at physical activity; being excluded from physical education and other organised physical activity at school; and feeling socially isolated from her classmates. These experiences seemed to contribute to feelings of difference/inferiority and the subsequent avoidance of physical activity, which, in turn, might have contributed to premature functional decline. Physical activity levels in people with cerebral palsy might be increased through focusing on enhancing childhood experiences.

History

Journal

Disability and society

Volume

27

Pagination

205-218

Location

Abingdon, London

ISSN

0968-7599

eISSN

1360-0508

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2012, Taylor & Francis

Issue

2

Publisher

Taylor & Francis