Staying Active

Another way of staying active could be walking. Yes, walking with or without an aid, a few steps or a short distance, and without feeling the pressure to do so. Even standing up for a moment, holding onto a table or a couch. You can shift your weight or take a couple of steps with crutches, a walker, or canes. This can help keep your muscles engaged and your body moving in ways that support daily life. Every bit of movement helps with circulation, flexibility, and staying comfortable in your body. If all these feel tiring or tough some days, that’s okay. Remember your spoons? [Link to spoon theory-game] There’s no rule saying you have to do it a certain way or for a certain distance. It’s not about pushing yourself beyond your limits. What matters is finding what works for you. The goal isn’t to do more than you can handle, but to find ways to move that support your independence and well-being. Also, you should be mindful of precautions to ensure safety. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Choose sports or activities that are in the water, such as swimming. This allows more independent movement and reduces the risk for fractures or injuries.
• As much as possible, choose non-contact sports and activities, for example badminton, archery, tennis, or yoga. Check the section OI Athletes to know more about! [LINK]
• Do some activities that increase your heart rate while being safe, like cycling on a stationary or adapted bike, wheelchair racing, quick walking, and hiking.
• Use lightweight or adapted equipment, like a foam ball.
• Play sports in smaller groups to decrease the risk of injuries.
• If you cannot participate in a sport, consider practicing skills associated with the sport or stay involved by refereeing or scoring.
• When possible and if accessible, spend some time out of your wheelchair and stand up with your walker to stretch your hip muscles.
• If you’re feeling tired or experiencing pain or aches, listen to your body.

For some more tips, check out the Individualized School Plan for Optimal Inclusion of Students with Osteogenesis Imperfecta [ADD LINK]. Your ability to safely participate in contact sports may change depending on your condition and fractures. This can be very frustrating and disappointing. You may want to consider a more recreational level of the sport. If you are still very keen on competition, perhaps switching to another sport will allow this. For example, swimming and wheelchair sports can be very competitive, but safer for your bones than other sports. In any case, if you sustain an injury, always give yourself the time to heal before going back to sports. This will reduce pain and the risk of new injuries, and you will enjoy the experience more.