Negotiating Participation: How Women Living With Disabilities Address Barriers to Exercise

Abstract

Exercise participation among women living with disabilities can be limited as a result of pain, decreased muscle strength, and limited mobility. More “disabling” than these symptoms, however, is a lack of accessible exercise facilities in women's communities. Our study explores how material and social structures and functions existing and operating within women's communities and at community-based exercise facilities affect their participation. Interviews with 15 women living with disabilities were conducted and qualitatively analyzed. Participants discuss the benefits of their exercise participation, in addition to how they experience and negotiate structural and attitudinal barriers within community-based facilities.

Notes

¹Pseudonyms have been used.

²Kathleen lives with a brain injury; her personal support worker's prompts and reminders were included in the dialogue as they help to illuminate the issues relevant to Kathleen's experience with the public accessible transit service.