Finding your ‘why’
Knowing why you want to be active is an excellent starting point when planning your physical activity.
In this section you’ll read about why the ‘why’ matters, and listen to some young adults reflect on their physical activity choices.
What can physical activity look like as an adult with cerebral palsy?
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![Young man in a wheelchair playing with a soccer ball in a backyard garden with green grass, trees, and a wooden fence.]()
Frame soccer
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![A woman with red hair wearing boxing gloves and a purple sweatshirt, practicing boxing with a trainer in a gym. The trainer is holding orange focus mitts for her to punch. In the background, a young man with glasses and a blue shirt is looking at his phone, and gym equipment like kettlebells and weighted sticks are visible.]()
Gym - boxing
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![Person in a wheelchair making a playful face during a sports event in an indoor gymnasium.]()
Wheelchair rugby
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![Young man in athletic clothing sitting on a park bench, lifting a blue dumbbell, with a wheelchair beside him, outdoors on a sunny day.]()
Weights
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![A man and woman in a swimming pool with blue floatation devices, the man smiling and the woman looking away.]()
Hydrotherapy
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![A young girl sitting on a rowing machine in a gym, with a green exercise ball on her lap, trying to exercise.]()
Gym
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![A young man in a wheelchair using a lift at a fitness center, being assisted by a staff member, with large windows and outdoor scenery in the background.]()
Gym
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![A young woman with prosthetic legs riding a blue adaptive tricycle, smiling, with a caregiver standing behind her, in front of a house with a well-maintained lawn and small trees.]()
Cycling
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![Group of people at the beach, with one person in yellow holding a surfboard, smiling, and others standing in the water around him.]()
Surfing
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![A man with glasses in a striped shirt is smiling while sitting in a motorized wheelchair in a living room with wooden floors, plants, and a sliding glass door.]()
Motorised cycling
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![A young man in a wheelchair holding a gold trophy and smiling, celebrating a victory in a wheelchair sports event.]()
Wheelchair football
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![A man in a wheelchair holding a basketball on an outdoor basketball court with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.]()
Wheelchair basketball
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![A woman in a wheelchair using a gym exercise machine in a fitness center with other people working out in the background.]()
Gym - arm bike
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![Underwater scene showing two divers, one holding a life ring. The view is from below, capturing a clear, wavy water surface above.]()
Snorkelling
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![A person in a wheelchair lifting a dumbbell at a gym, surrounded by fitness equipment and weight plates.]()
Gym - weights
As an adult, finding your ‘why’ can help you find the right physical activity ‘fit’ and communicate to others about what is important to you.
Knowing what has worked for other people with CP can be helpful too. If you have friends with cerebral palsy, you can ask them about their experiences.
You can also ask your physiotherapist for tips they have learnt from supporting others in a particular activity.
Finding your ‘why’ as an adult
Everyone has a different reason for being, or wanting to be, active.
Many adults with cerebral palsy will have done physical activity in childhood for the goals of rehabilitation after surgery, to improve or maintain walking, and for function.
Some of these goals may have been set by you. Some may have been decided on by your family or therapy teams.
“Growing up I found my exercise was more based around therapy sessions and hitting target milestones like walking.
As an adult my goals have now changed, as well as my idea of exercise.
I still do my physio sessions… but my main goals with exercise, as I transitioned into adulthood, became focused on maintenance, improving strength and enjoyment like sports.”
- Tate
“It wasn’t a question of ‘will I play’ it was ‘what will I play’ - competition is just part of who I am”
- Jet
