Quality of Life Grants Spotlight: Move United
Staying active and engaged in sports or fitness activities benefits people's mental and physical well-being. 
During the beginning of COVID-19's impact on social activities, Move United recognized the need to provide adaptive fitness classes whenever or wherever possible. Therefore, in September of 2021, Move United founded Move United OnDemand, adaptive fitness classes.
Dave Simonson, Development Director of Move United, explained why there is a need for the OnDemand program,"Many people do not live near in-person adaptive sports programs or do not have access to a gym, making in-home quality adaptive fitness programming vital. In addition, in-home digital fitness programming is much easier to access as it requires no travel and offers the flexibility of being available anytime. Unfortunately, current commercially available online fitness platforms do not allow people with disabilities to search for workouts with specific adaptations. A small minority have representation from an instructor with a disability, but this is more visual than substantive modifications to the workout. OnDemand offers a wide variety of adaptive sports fitness classes, taught by some of the country's best adaptive fitness instructors, making health and fitness classes available to an individual with a disability whenever they want from wherever they are."
Dave, a retired US Air Force Sergeant and three-time Ironman Triathlon finisher has a brother who has a spinal cord injury, uses a wheelchair, and is an adaptive athlete. For Dave, OnDemand gives him the chance to help those with disabilities" experience the life-changing power of adaptive sports and fitness."
The Move United OnDemand program, funded by the Reeve Foundation's COVID-19 grant of $34,225, provides free, digital access to a vast selection of adaptive sports and fitness classes led by adaptive instructors. Specifically, classes were developed for individuals with spinal cord injuries by instructors with spinal cord injuries. However, the platform, found on Move United's website, is inclusive and engages people of all abilities, sizes, or shapes.
Finding the time to squeeze in a workout can be challenging. OnDemand instructors realize people may have time constraints. However, recognizing that any time spent engaging in sports or fitness is vital to a person's overall health, OnDemand offers yoga, dance, HIIT, strength, or cardio classes that range from 10 to 45 minutes. The wide range of classes, length of time, and ease of accessibility create an engaging opportunity to stay fit. Also, since there are options for times and classes, getting or staying in shape is a realistic goal.
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Move United's aim for OnDemand was to have 100 unique individuals with spinal cord injuries participate in the classes offered. However, because of the Reeve Foundation's support, participation in fitness classes surpassed the OnDemand program's goal.
In a recent survey conducted by Move United, participants' responses were favorable to the OnDemand program.
- 91% of users were satisfied or strongly satisfied with the diversity of video content and instructors
- 95% of users indicated that Move United OnDemand helped improve their physical fitness
- 90% of users would recommend Move United OnDemand to another user with a disability
Move United OnDemand will continue to grow with the help of its participants. With participants' input, the OnDemand program will expand its classes to meet its users' needs.
To learn more about the Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Grants Program, please see: www.ChristopherReeve.org/QOL.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reeve Foundation’s National Paralysis Resource Center created a special grants category (COVID-19: Addressing Social Isolation) for non-profit organizations to address social isolation by providing programs and projects to support the physical and mental health of people living with paralysis.
Christina Sisti, DPS, MPH, MS is a bioethicist and health care policy advocate. She works to create awareness and improve health care policy for those with long-term health issues.