Benefits of Exercise for Children with Special Needs

Regular physical activity is as important for children with special needs as it is for all children, offering a wide range of physical, emotional, and social benefits.

Physical health gains
Exercise helps build strength, improve flexibility, enhance balance, and support healthy bone density. It can boost cardiovascular fitness, lung capacity, and endurance, while helping manage weight and reduce the risk of obesity-related conditions like diabetes.

Emotional and mental well-being
Physical activity can improve mood, self-esteem, and confidence. It supports better sleep, reduces behavioral issues, and lowers feelings of isolation, fostering a sense of inclusion and belonging.

Social and communication skills
Participation in sports or group activities provides opportunities to practice communication, cooperation, and empathy. Structured sports can teach self-regulation, decision-making, and teamwork, while also helping children form friendships and feel part of a community.

Cognitive and academic benefits
Improved physical health is linked to better cognitive function and academic performance. Exercise can enhance focus, memory, and problem-solving skills.

Adaptability and inclusion
Many sports and activities can be adapted to meet individual needs—whether through modified rules, equipment, or specialized programs like wheelchair sports, swimming, therapeutic riding, or Special Olympics.

Key takeaway
Encourage children with special needs to engage in activities they enjoy, tailored to their abilities. With the right support and adaptive options, exercise can be a powerful tool for healthy, confident, and socially connected children.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month: How Bio Ability Supports the SMA Community

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Awareness Month, recognized every August, spotlights the needs, experiences, and hopes of people living with SMA. It is a time to elevate community voices, promote education, and strengthen support networks for individuals and families navigating this rare neuromuscular condition.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a genetic neuromuscular disease that causes progressive weakness of the muscles used for movement, breathing, and swallowing. It occurs due to a mutation in the SMN1 gene, which prevents the body from producing enough survival motor neuron (SMN) protein—a critical protein that keeps motor neurons in the spinal cord alive. Without adequate SMN protein, motor neurons deteriorate, leading to muscle atrophy and loss of motor function.

Despite these challenges, individuals with SMA demonstrate remarkable resilience, creativity, and determination. With the right supports—including medical treatment, therapy, adaptive fitness, and community resources—many people with SMA achieve greater independence and improved quality of life.

How Bio Ability Supports Individuals with SMA

Bio Ability’s adaptive fitness and physio support programs align closely with evidence‑based SMA care, which emphasizes physical therapy, occupational therapy, adaptive exercise, and accessible recreation. Our mission is to help individuals with SMA stay active, engaged, and empowered through safe, personalized movement experiences.

Therapy‑Aligned Adaptive Fitness

Our staff works directly with your physical and occupational therapists to ensure every session reinforces clinical goals. This collaborative approach helps maintain continuity of care and supports long‑term functional outcomes.

Bio Ability provides:

• Adaptive strength training
• Functional exercise
• Adaptive sports integration

 Collaborative Care for Better Outcomes

Bio Ability’s team understands that SMA care is most effective when everyone works together. We collaborate with therapists, caregivers, and families to ensure:

• Therapy goals are reinforced consistently
• Fatigue is managed safely
• Movement patterns remain functional and supported
• Adaptive equipment is used effectively
• Each individual’s abilities and goals guide the program

This partnership‑driven model helps individuals with SMA maintain mobility, reduce complications, and improve independence.

For more information about Adaptive Fitness or Adaptive Gymnastics programs contact us by phone or text at Bio Ability on 470-560-3981.

What’s happening?

School Schedule and Makeup Classes

The school schedule starts this month.  If you need any changes to your child’s schedule please contact Dawn on the Bio Ability phone number by calling or texting. We understand with the start of school, schedules need some adjusting. Please notify us as soon as possible before class should your child need to miss in order to receive a makeup class.

School Break Camps

We are offering integrated camps at Bio Gymnastics during some school breaks. There are morning sessions 9-1 and afternoon sessions 12-4, There may also be full day camp available depending on the day and staff availability.  Please call or message the Bio Ability number with days and times you are interested  to get on a wait list and so I can be sure there is Bio Ability staff available and then we will schedule.  Please do not schedule through Bio Gymnastics as all of our scheduling and billing are separate. The Bio Ability number is 470-560-3981.  You can call, leave voicemails and text on this number. We do not have regular office hours at this time so if no one answers, please leave a message or text.

Cheer Ability Class

We are developing a cheer class for our Bio Ability students and wish to see the interest level. If your child is interested in taking a cheer class, please message our Bio Ability number so I can plan for the number of children interested.

Staff Updates

In August three of our staff are leaving for college. We wish coaches Nidhi, Dhriti and Aruna the best in their first year of college.

Staff Spotlight Coach Snigdha

Coach Snigdha is a Junior in High School. She has been with us for the month of July and has been a class instructor helper and a substitute instructor.  She is a wonderful addition to our team. Please welcome her when you see her.

You will see two new student interns and instructor helpers beginning this month. Coach Shriya and Emania will be wonderful additions to our team.

Exercise of the Month: Pull Ups

Pull-ups are a compound upper-body exercise that strengthens the back, shoulders, arms, and core while improving grip and overall upper-body control.

To perform a standard pull-up:

• Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with palms facing away from you. For a chin-up variation, palms face toward you.
• Hang with arms fully extended, shoulders relaxed, and chest slightly out.
• Pull your shoulder blades down and back, then use your arms and upper body to lift your chin above the bar.
• Lower yourself slowly until your arms are fully extended and repeat

Muscles Targeted

Pull-ups engage multiple upper-body muscles:

• Primary: Latissimus dorsi (lats)
• Supporting: Trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, biceps, forearms
• Stabilizers: Core muscles for posture and control

Recipe:  Lunch Box Chicken Wrap

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup hummus
• 1 whole wheat tortilla (8 inches), room temperature
• 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
• 1/3 cup shredded cooked chicken breast
• 2 carrot sticks
• 2 sweet red pepper strips

Directions:

Spread hummus over tortilla; top with spinach. Place chicken, carrot and red pepper in a row near center of tortilla; roll up tightly. If desired, cut crosswise into slices. Wrap securely or pack in an airtight container; refrigerate until serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 wrap: 324 calories, 10g fat (1g saturated fat), 35g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 7g fiber), 23g protein.