An Exploration of the interactions between disability and exercise.

Regular exercise has been identified as being important to an individual's social, physical and psychological well being (Dishman, 1994). Yet very few people exercise to levels sufficient to accrue these benefits. Researchers have begun to develop an understanding of why some people exercise whilst others do not, but much of this research has focused upon non-disabled people, whilst very little is known about disabled people. This research sought to investigate the 'Interactions between Disability and Exercise'. The main aims of this investigation were to first examine the exercise intentions of disabled individual's (wheelchair users) using the Social Model ofDisability (Oliver, 1996), to act as a framework. Secondly, to determine the factors, which underpin intentions to exercise, attitude toward exercise, influence of significant others, choices and self-determination. Critical Social Research (Harvey, 1990), is the process which, is adopted throughout the research in order to examine underpinning factors, which could influence a disabled person's decision whether or not to participate in exercIse.