During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reeve Foundation’s National Paralysis Resource Center created a special grant category (COVID-19: Addressing Social Isolation) to help nonprofits address social isolation. People living with paralysis.
Active participation in sports and fitness activities helps people’s mental and physical health. As COVID-19 began to impact social activities, Move United recognized the need to offer adaptive fitness classes whenever and wherever possible. That’s why, in September 2021, Move United launched Move United OnDemand adaptive fitness classes.
Dave Simonson, director of development at Move United, explains why an on-demand program is necessary:
“Many people do not live near in-person adaptive sports programs or do not have access to gyms, making quality adaptive fitness programming at home essential. , is much easier to access because it does not require travel and offers the flexibility of always being available. Training cannot be retrieved. A minority has representation from instructors with disabilities, substantive changes to workouts. on demand offers a variety of adaptive sports fitness classes taught by the nation’s best adaptive fitness instructors, making health and fitness classes accessible to individuals with disabilities anytime, anywhere. ”
A retired U.S. Air Force Sergeant and three-time Ironman triathlon finisher, Dave has a brother who is a spinal cord injury, wheelchair user, and adaptable athlete. For Dave, OnDemand gives us the opportunity to help people with disabilities.”Adapt.Experience the life-changing power of his sport and fitness.”
Funded by the Reeve Foundation’s $34,225 COVID-19 grant, the Move United OnDemand program provides free digital access to a wide range of adaptive sports and fitness classes led by adaptive instructors. Specifically, classes were developed for spinal cord injuries by spinal cord injury instructors. However, the platform on Move United’s website is inclusive and attracts people of all abilities, sizes, or shapes.
Finding time to focus on working out can be difficult. OnDemand instructors recognize that people may have time constraints. However, recognizing that time spent in sports and fitness is essential to a person’s overall health, OnDemand recommends that he spends between 10 minutes and 45 minutes of yoga, dance, HIIT, strength, or cardio exercise. offers a class of The wide range of classes, length of time, and accessibility create compelling opportunities to stay fit. And with time and class options, staying in shape is a realistic goal.
The goal of Move United’s OnDemand was to enroll 100 unique individuals with spinal cord injuries in the classes offered. However, with the Reeve Foundation’s support, fitness class attendance exceeded the on-demand program goals.
In a recent survey conducted by Move United, participants responded positively to the on-demand program.
- 91% of users are satisfied or very satisfied with video content and variety of instructors
- 95% of users said Move United OnDemand helped them improve their fitness
- 90% of users would recommend Move United OnDemand to another user with a disability
Move United OnDemand continues to grow with the help of our participants. Based on participant input, the on-demand program expands classes to meet user needs.
For more information on the Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Grants program, visit www.ChristopherReeve.org/QOL.
Christina Sisti, DPS, MPH, MS is a bioethicist and health policy advocate. She works to raise awareness and improve healthcare policies for people with long-term health problems.
This publication was supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Community Health Controls (ACL) as part of a financial support award totaling $160,000, 100% funded by ACL/HHS. The content is that of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views or endorsements of her ACL/HHS or the US government.
