What are some good core strengthening exercises for someone confined to a wheelchair?

Hi Nancy,

here is my suggestion:

Have the person hug a large Swiss ball and ask to hold it tight. Then press against the ball in a variety of directions, asking the person to keep the upright posture and not be pushed around.

Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com

You can have your client hold on to a rope with some kind of weight attached to the end of the rope. Have them swing the rope around above their head. As the rope passes a certain point in the rotation, have them contract their core to provide stability against the rope pulling their body in that direction. Obviously, you can have them contract their core at any point in the rotation.

Hello Nancy,

Assuming they can move around:

bend forward and back, with arms extended for more resistance
bend side to side, with arms overhead for more resistance
press back into chair and release
isometric contraction like bearing down

I hope this helps you.

Great answers. Add to them simply breathing. On exhalation bring the abs in as tight as you client can. Then on inhalation bring the abs out as far as your client can. Repeat on a count of 2 for inhalation and 2 for exhalation.

Take care.

Are they Para/quad or just confined?