Chronic diseases affect more than 25 million people in France. The growing number of people affected by long-term illnesses is a real public health problem as of today. Adaptive sport is a precious solution for both the prevention and the cure process. The objective here is to gauge the impact of sport practice on the evolution of a chronic disease.
Sport practice is an acknowledged solution to mitigate the impact of chronic diseases
Overview of the effectiveness of sport practice
The positive impact of sport practice on chronic diseases was acknowledged by the INSERM (National Institute for Health and Medical Research) and by many other institutions such as the Haute Autorité de Santé (High authority on Health). The practice of a physical activity mitigates complications, but it also improves the ill’s living conditions.
The recommendations from the Haute Autorité de Santé
For the HAS, adaptive physical activity must be part of the curing process of people affected by a chronic disease. Practising a sport that is adapted to your disease allows to optimise the benefits. Moreover, this also prevents the illness from worsening as well as potential complications.
Health focused sport then becomes a strategic asset to the mitigation of the effects of chronic diseases. Here are a few examples.
Sport and chronic diseases: what are the benefits?
Sport, diabetes, and obesity
Sport practice allows people suffering from diabetes to improve their receptiveness to insulin. Even if sport practice does not replace medication, it contributes to a better control of glycaemia levels. Sport practice balances sugar concentration in the blood which leads to a reduced dependency to medication.
Physical activity also remains an interesting option in the context of obesity. It helps improving muscular mass while mitigating fat gain. It also helps reducing waist size which is an essential help in the fight against chronic diseases.
Waist size constitutes indeed a clear separation between body fat and the accumulation of abdominal fat. Yet we know that the presence of visceral fat creates risks for the person to suffer from cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes, etc.
Physical activity and its assets on the mitigation of cardiovascular or respiratory diseases
For the Haute Autorité de Santé, practising a sport also improves breathing and cardiac functions. It is used in this case to prevent the disease or when the disease is already here.
Here a few possible cases:
- A person suffering from heart failure strengthens their heart and improves their blood circulation by walking or swimming. Their arterial blood pressure drops and the risk of complications is higher because of their disease.
- In the case of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), physical activity strengthens respiratory muscles. Thus, it limits breathlessness and helps the person to better tolerate the effort. Everything contributes to improved living conditions.
Which sport for which chronic disease?
The practice of sports requiring moderate stamina are all recommended in the framework of cardiovascular chronic diseases. Power walking, swimming, or biking allow the strengthening of the heart and the improvement of blood circulation.
The practice of these sports is also recommended for people suffering from type 2 diabetes. When it is combined with muscular reinforcement, it allows an increase in lean body mass. Everything contributes to a better management of the chronic disease.
Aqua fitting, walking or electric cycling are also great support activities to help people suffering from obesity find vitality again. Moreover, the joints are not submitted to much repeated pressure when practicing these activities.
Sport and chronic diseases: what are the activities that are adapted to an inclusive practice?
Adaptive structures
Different structures can offer an inclusive setting which is adapted to the sport practice of people suffering from chronic diseases:
- Functional rehabilitation centres.
- The regional institute for rehabilitation (IRR).
- The different structures that are part of the Sport Santé Bien-être network (Health Sport Well Being).
Along with the support of the ministry of Sport and Health, Sport Health houses also offer an optimal medical environment for sport practice despite the chronic disease. The environment is safe, accessible, and adapted to people’s physical capabilities.
Equipment which simplifies sport practice
Electric manual cycling, floating device for swimming, musculation devices, etc: today there exists numerous equipment which simplify sport practice for people suffering from chronic diseases.
For example, Playmoovin’ has created plastic sport wheelchairs. With that, every team game turns into a playful moment during which all players are on an equal footing, no matter their disability.
This wheelchair can help a person suffering from a disease to develop their breathing capabilities or to strengthen their torso muscles.
As you will have realised, sport practice remains a preferred solution to improve the living conditions of all the people suffering from a chronic disease. Its virtues are largely acknowledged by medical authorities. Are you part of a Health Sport house or any other structure that has the mission to improve the daily life of people suffering from chronic diseases? Playmoovin’ fully strives for this objective, so call us if you want us to collaborate on a project!
Sources
Inserm-activité physique : prévention et traitement des maladies chroniques
DREES-mieux connaître et évaluer la prise en charge des maladies chroniques
