FEATURE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
20 OTnews January 2021
It is hoped that once someone has cycled , they will have sufficient motivation to return . This approach works well where the equipment is expensive and / or difficult to transport .
Another challenge is financial . Many participants are on low incomes , so if they wish to use leisure centres we discuss the available discount cards , which are not well promoted .
A further challenge is meeting the needs of diverse communities ; we have little ethnic or cultural diversity within our existing participants , despite attempts to change this . Limited resources have inevitably curtailed what could be done during the establishment of the project .
Me and my practice In terms of my practice , a challenge I have faced is prejudice – my own . I find the gym boring and I prefer low intensity activity . I also think the image of the gym and high intensity activity puts off the people we are targeting , who may have anxieties around appearance and getting sweaty .
Two things have happened to change my practice . One , I learnt that the people we are targeting are interested in the gym and / or high intensity activity . And two , of less relevance , I have taken up racketball and discovered how good
I can feel after a very intense workout . What have l learnt from this ? That I need to be more objective .
This role has also helped me understand myself better . Although I have always been physically active , it had not occurred to me until I applied for this role just how important it was in helping me to maintain my mood and , more recently , as a menopausal woman , to manage my anxiety levels . This deeper understanding has increased my motivation for encouraging and supporting others to be more active .
What can you do ? There are a number of identified steps that you can take to support people to be more active , including :
• read Mind ’ s guide to physical activity and mental health ( https :// bit . ly / MindPAGuide );
• visit Moving Medicine on depression for two , five and 10-minute consultations ( https :// bit . ly / MMedDepression );
• find out what is going on in your local area – your local Mind may have a Get Set to Go programme , or your local Disability Sports Forum may be able to help ( your local council should be able to advise you on this );
‘‘
It ’ s really nice to have someone to go with . It ’ s really daunting to go on your own . I think that applies to a lot of people . Being in a group with people in similar circumstances really helps . Robinn , a participant on a 12-week programme , week one
• promote Mind ’ s Mental Health Awareness for Sports
strength .
and Physical Activity Providers e-learning package to sports and physical activity providers
( https :// bit . ly / MHASPA ) or Mind ’ s toolkit for the sports sector
( https :// bit . ly / MindSportToolkit ); and
• set up your own physical activity group . I believe that physical activity with its social , psychological and physical benefits has not yet taken hold as an occupation in its own right for any client group .
RCOT does recognise physical activity as an occupation , holding a well-attended networking and learning event in April 2019 , but it takes time to build
COVID-19 is now necessarily distracting us from this task , but I hope these thoughts give occupational therapists encouragement to develop their practice in this area .
References
Activity Alliance ( 2020 ) Annual Disability and Activity Survey 2019 / 20 Research Briefing . England : English Federation of Disability Sport
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ( 2009 ) Depression in adults : recognition and management . Clinical guideline [ CG90 ]. England
National Mental Health Intelligence Network ( 2018 ) Severe mental illness and physical health inequalities : briefing . England : Public Health England
Janet Paske , Get Set to Go Coordinator , Sheffield Mind . Janet has recently been appointed as an Ambassador for Sport for Confidence and you can follow her on Twitter at @ OT4PA . * With acknowledgement and thanks to occupational therapist
© GettyImages / InnaKalyuzhina