Developmental disability includes disability present from birth or early childhood, such as cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. While physical activity guidelines for adults with developmental disability are the same as the general population, activity in people with disability often declines as they move through adolescence into adulthood.

The Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF) has highlighted key messages from the 5 facts article featured in the December edition of InMotion and produced this infographic. Click on the image below to access a printable A3 file. 

About the authors:

Georgia McKenzie is a PhD candidate with La Trobe University and the CP-Achieve Centre of Research Excellence. Georgia’s PhD work focuses on identifying factors influencing community gym participation for adults with cerebral palsy and developing strategies to improve participation. She is a physiotherapist in the Young Adult Complex Disability Service at St Vincent’s Hospital.

Nora Shields is Professor of Physiotherapy at La Trobe University. Nora is a chief investigator on the National Health and Medical Research Council-funded CP-Achieve Centre of Research Excellence and leads the VicHealth-funded GYM-SPARC project at La Trobe University. Her research aims to improve the health and well-being of people with disability through participation in physical activity.

Dr Rachel Kennedy APAM is project manager of the VicHealth-funded GYM-SPARC project at La Trobe University, which aims to increase physical activity participation among young adults with disability in gyms. Rachel is also a senior clinician-research physiotherapist in neuromuscular diseases at the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

This infographic is a Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF) initiative supported by FlexEze – partner of the PRF.