A physical disability refers to a serious and persistent condition that affects a person’s quality of life. Their ability to move, function, or be mobile.
It’s when a person’s physical capacity is reduced, or they are unable to do certain body movements. Like walking, standing, using their arms and hands, and controlling their muscles.
The term is used to refer to individual functioning. Including physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, intellectual impairment, mental illness, and various types of chronic disease.
One can be born with a disability, or acquire it later in life.
Multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and epilepsy are all examples of physical disabilities. But you will also find that many people living with physical disabilities are also living with other conditions. Such as learning disabilities, brain injury, mental health needs as well as additional health requirements.
Although the term “people with disabilities” sometimes refers to a single population, it is actually a diverse group of people who need help with a wide range of daily living activities.
While a physical disability doesn’t necessarily prevent you from doing certain tasks, it can make them more difficult. It can lead to daily tasks such as dressing or carrying items around that take longer.
It’s important to remember that the definition of physical disability does not refer to the condition. But how it affects daily life, such as a person’s ability to perform work.
Physical disabilities can also be caused by a variety of factors. You can have physical disabilities due to congenital, acquired, or hereditary reasons.
If a person has a congenital or hereditary physical disability, they have had it since birth. Inherited genetic issues, muscle cell problems or injuries sustained during birth can cause the condition.
There are many reasons a person could develop a physical disability. Severe accidents, brain injuries, infections, diseases, or as a side effect of other medical conditions such as stroke and dementia could cause these.
There are many types of physical disabilities that affect people in different ways. Including mobility impairment, visual impairment and hearing loss; chronic fatigue, pain, seizures, and chronic fatigue.
These are the main categories of physical disabilities:
Musculoskeletal disabilities affect the joints, bones, and muscles. It includes loss or deformity in limbs; Osteogenesis imperfecta, brittle bone disease, and Muscular Dystrophy, which is muscle weakness. These conditions can cause the inability to move body parts because of deformities, diseases, or degeneration affecting muscles or bones.
There are over 200 musculoskeletal disorders. Every year, 20% of UK citizens see a doctor to treat a problem related to them.
Examples of common musculoskeletal disorders include back and neck pains, osteoarthritis, bone fragility fractures and inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
A neuromusculoskeletal disorder is a condition that prevents the movement of affected body parts because of diseases, degeneration, or disorder in the nervous system. This can lead to physical disability.
Neuromusculoskeletal conditions include stroke, cerebral palsy, and spina bifida.
Intellectual disability (or ID) is a term used when a person has certain limitations in cognitive functioning and skills, including communication, social and self-care skills.
Whether the person has a mental disorder or simply struggles with physical activity due to arthritis, a carer is extremely valuable to the individual.
No one wants to give up their independence, so having a carer come and visit the home keeps them independent living. Where they can be in their own home, surrounded by memories and cherished items. As well as their beloved pets.
Carers are not just for the elderly either. Children with disabilities need help, too. They can struggle with school day activities if they have a physical impairment. Or if they are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, they may find the hustle and bustle of the classroom unnerving.
Having the extra support can give individuals with disabilities the confidence to achieve.
Sign up to Ready Steady Care to find your role in the care sector, if you want to help people.
A long-term condition that affects the person’s ability to move, dexterity, or physical function is called a physical disability.
You can have a physical disability that is congenital or hereditary. An individual can be born with a disability, or develop it later in life.
There are two types of physical disabilities: musculoskeletal and neuromusculoskeletal. Musculoskeletal disabilities affect the joints, bones, and muscles. And neuromusculoskeletal impairment is the inability of body parts to move due to disease, degeneration, or disorder to the nervous system.
Examples of physical disabilities include arthritis, epilepsy, acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and cerebral palsy.
A physical disability is a loss of physical ability. While it does not mean you can’t do certain things, it can make them more difficult if you are unable to move properly.
