Barriers to physical activity
| Personal barriers | Social barriers | Environmental barriers | Policy and programme barriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lack of skill (physical) Lack of athletic ability, coordination and skills10 16 27 28 31 33 34 Child's disability28–30 Issues related to toileting (ie, incontinent, catheters)6 27 Poor physical condition or poor health16 Children are too big and strong to play with children who are of equivalent mental age27 Time taken to shower and change postexercise16 Required exercise intensity seems too high16 Inconvenience of perspiration or preparation16 Lack of skill (social) Self-conscious or embarrassed16 Previous unpleasant experience16 Children felt discouraged about exercise16 Lack of confidence28 Child's behavioural problems or lack of social skills31 Lack of independence28 Inability of child to adapt on his own28 Inability to navigate unfamiliar areas28 Lack of self-discipline16 Preferences for activities other than physical Lazy child or preference for sedentary activity27 28 34 Prefer to do their own thing or other leisure activities16 33 Have other priorities or commitments33 34 Lack of interest, motivation or enjoyment16 Fear Fear of being stigmatised or teased1 32 34 Fear of injury16 Fear of incontinence16 Fear of being out of control28 Lack of knowledge or awareness about exercise Not knowing how to exercise or ‘what to do’16 28 Not knowing how to use equipment16 32 Lack of awareness about options and where to exercise16 Don't like to exercise alone34 Other Lack of time16 34 Pain or discomfort16 34 | Parental actions, behaviours or concerns Time constraints (ie, travel time)10 26 27 29 30 Lack of (parental) support/encouragement16 30 34 Parental concerns about safety6 28 30 Overprotective parents1 6 Physical activity is not part of the family's daily life or they have other family priorities6 30 Lack of parental knowledge of physical activity opportunities available (integrated and segregated)6 25 26 Financial constraints29 30 Family has a lack of energy to engage in activity30 Parental concerns about child's behaviour31 Having to balance the needs of children with and without disability27 30 Family restrictions34 Parental fear of child being isolated6 Lack of friends or unsupportive peers Being teased, stared at by peers1 28 32 Peers view them as helpless or doubt their abilities1 Lack of friends to be active with or friends do not participate10 28 34 Lack of other children who are blind locally28 Lack of people to exercise with16 Negative societal attitudes Negative/unfriendly attitudes others16 31 Negative attitudes of parents of non-disabled children6 People's misconceptions of child's physical condition or ability16 Other Lack of role models1 Lack of adequate communication between staff, interpreter and child29 | Inadequate facilities Inaccessible facilities6 16 29 31 Lack of appropriate facilities16 30 32 34 Locations are inconvenient, or too far away32 34 No space to exercise16 Lack of place to exercise with peers16 Obstruction or physical obstacles or unfamiliar territory28 Uneven or inappropriate surfaces at home and in playgrounds28 32 Playground equipment too small, too technical or poorly coloured32 Lack of adaptive equipment16 Transport Lack of transport6 16 28 29 Other Weather16 | Lack of appropriate physical activity programmes Lack of opportunities to participate1 25 28 33 Lack of appropriate programmes/ activities10 26–28 30 Lack of variety in activities available25 29 Lack of recreation opportunities that involve the whole family25 Fewer programmes for older children. Those that are offered focus on team sports31 Lack of inclusive programmes31 Programmes are short-lived27 31 Lack of learn to exercise programme16 Lack of friendship building programmes31 Lack of transition programme from rehab to community setting16 Lack of staff capacity Lack of staff training in, or knowledge about disability and child's needs6 29–31 Lack of staff knowledge of how to adapt programmes27–29 31 Lack of (trained) staff6 16 28 31 Lack of volunteers6 16 Emphasis on employing teenage staff to run summer programmes was seen as unsuited to handling children with disability6 Lack of leaders10 Lack of interpreters28 Negative staff attitudes towards working with people with disability Negative attitudes by staff31 Lack of adequate staff who are willing to work with children with disabilities29 Staff fear of isolating children or risk of physical harm6 Staff feel working with children with disability more difficult6 Staff too focussed on competitive sports6 Staff fear of legal implications of an accident in integrated programmes6 Institutional conservatism6 Cost Cost (of travelling, equipment and facilities)16 26 27 32 Other Focus on competitive team sports6 31 or activities not competitive enough33 Lack of funding6 31 Lack of information about the benefits of physical activity30 Lack of information available for parents about opportunities to participate6 27 34 Rules and regulations (ie, no motorised wheelchairs on basketball court)1 Deficiency of guidance28 Lack of agreement between organisations about who is responsible for integration and whether integration or segregation was preferable6 |