The guidelines from the UK chief medical officers (CMOs), which apply to children aged two - to- 17, recommend daily levels of physical activity to support those with disabilities to improve their physical and mental health.
Underpinned by research from Durham University, University of Bristol, and Disabilities Rights UK, they advise 20 minutes of exercise per day for disabled children and strength and balance activity three times a week.
The guidelines specifically recommend children and young people with disabilities:
- Undertake 120 to 180 minutes of aerobic physical activity per week at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity – this can be achieved in different ways (for example, 20 minutes per day or 40 minutes three times per week) - through activities such as walking or cycling.
- Complete challenging, but manageable, strength and balance activities three time per week which are particularly beneficial for muscle strength and motor skills – for example, indoor wall climbing, yoga and modified sports such as basketball or football.
An infographic about the benefits of physical activity has also been published.
The UK CMOs, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Professor Sir Michael McBride, Professor Sir Gregor Smith and Sir Frank Atherton, said, ‘We are delighted to present this report which is an important step forward in addressing the gap in physical activity guidelines for disabled children and disabled young people.
‘We encourage schools, parents, carers and healthcare professionals to communicate and promote these guidelines across their wider professional networks to enable appropriate physical activity opportunities for disabled children and disabled young people in their communities.’
- The guidelines are available here