Sports and exercise participation enhances the psychological well-being of children and adults with disabilities through the provision of opportunities to form friendships, express creativity, develop a self-identity, and foster meaning and purpose in life.
For example, physical activity can help kids with autism gain confidence, improve social skills, and develop better coordination. Improvements in balance and motor skills often go hand in hand with progress made in cognitive function and academic achievement.
Sports and exercise can improve proprioception, or the body’s sense of where it is in space and where the parts of the body are in relation to each other, which is important because autism often affects sensory processing.
Exercise is important for everyone. If you have a physical or developmetal disability, exercise is all the more important to help keep your body and mind healthy.
Erica Sandoval Co-Executive Director of EEK Fitness, Inc.
