Introduction

A person is considered ‘handicapped’ or ‘physically challenged’

when he is not an ordinary person with all limbs. A disabled
person is one who suffers from the loss or impairment of a limp or
deformity in physical or mental capability whether due to nature's
foul play or an unexpected unfortunate accident.

Physical Disability
A physical disability is a substantial and long-term limitation
affecting a person’s mobility, physical functioning, stamina or
agility. It can limit the individual, either temporarily or permanently,
by becoming disabled for a wide range of reasons, such as
genetic disorder, injury or a specific condition.

Physical disability severely affects the capacity of a person to

perform specific daily activities. These activities become more
challenging and take longer to complete, such as carrying things
and getting dressed.

Children and young people with physical disabilities may

experience difficulty with accessing the physical environment,
using equipment and facilities safely, participating in learning
tasks and assessments, and performing practical tasks and
activities. However, every individual is affected by their unique
physical needs in a different way.

Causes a Physical Disability

Various causes of physical disabilities affect a person’s daily life
differently. Physical disabilities may result from perinatal,
acquired, or congenital factors.
Congenital Disability
People within the group of congenital physical disabilities, also
known as hereditary, have had the condition since birth, which
may include impairments that already have occurred while the
baby was in the womb. Also, inherited genetic issues, injury
during birth or issues with muscle cells can develop this condition.

Acquired Injury
A person may develop a physical disability for a variety of causes.
These can result from severe accidents, brain injuries, infections,
diseases, and other conditions, like dementia and a stroke.

Perinatal Causes
The period just before and following childbirth is known as the
perinatal period. This era’s disabilities are primarily biological in
nature. They may be brought on by preterm delivery, severe
trauma, oxygen deprivation, or an infection picked up while being
delivered through the birth canal.

Types of Physical Disability

Many physical disabilities, such as hearing loss, chronic fatigue,
mobility impairment, chronic pain and seizures, can affect
individuals.

Some main physical disability categories include:

Musculoskeletal Disability
The bones, muscles, and joints are all affected by this type of
disability. It may result in limb loss or deformity, muscle weakness
(Muscular Dystrophy), and osteogenesis imperfecta, which
causes brittle bones. Back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, fractures
brought on by brittle bones, and inflammatory disorders like
rheumatoid arthritis are common forms of musculoskeletal
disability.

Neuromusculoskeletal Disability
The neuromusculoskeletal condition makes the person unable to
move the body parts affected and can also lead to nervous
system disorders or degeneration. Stroke, cerebral palsy, spinal
cord injury, motor neurone disease, spina bifida, head injury,
poliomyelitis, and other conditions are examples of this type of
disorder.

Sensory Impairment
Visual and hearing impairments fall under the category of sensory
impairment. Once more, people may have experienced sensory
impairments throughout their lives or may have grown blind or
deaf in later life.
Common Physical Disabilities
What a physical disability may and does to a person has already
been addressed. Here are some examples of physical disabilities.
The most common physical limitations that harm the body and
normal function are:

Cerebral Palsy
Acquired Brain Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
Spina bifida
Multiple Sclerosis
Epilepsy
Arthritis
Cerebral palsy
A group of disorders that impact a person's ability to move and
maintain balance. Cerebral palsy is usually caused by abnormal
brain development or brain damage that affects one's ability to
control one's muscles. It is the most common motor disability
present ar birth.
The symptoms of Cerebral palsy vary from person to person.
A person with severe CP may need to use special equipment to
walk and lifelong care.
A person with mild CP may walk awkwardly but may not need
special assistance.
Types of Cerebral palsy:
Spastic Cerebral Palsy
The most common type of CP. People with spastic CP usually
suffer from muscle stiffness.
Spastic diplegia
Muscle stiffness is mainly in the legs, with the arms less affected
or not affected at all
Spastic hemiplegia
Affect only one side of one's body. The arm is more affected than
the leg.
Spastic quadriplegia
Affect our limbs, the trunk, and the face. People with spastic
quadriplegia usually cannot walk and have other developmental
disabilities such as intellectual disability and seizures.
Spinal cord injuries
Spina cord injury indicates the damages to any part of the spinal
cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal.
Result in permanent loss of strength, sensation, and function
(mobility and feeling).
Causes of spinal cord injury
Trauma and diseases
According to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)
grading scale, spinal cord injury can be classified as the following
categories.
ASIA A: a complete spinal cord injury with no sensory or motor
function preserved.
ASIA B: a sensory incomplete injury with complete motor function
loss.
ASIA C: a motor incomplete injury with some movement.
ASIA D: a motor incomplete injury with more than half of the
muscle groups is anti-gravity.
ASIA E: normal

Amputation
Indicates removal of part of all of a body part that is enclosed by
skin.
Causes of Amputation:
accident
animals attack
warfare
surgery

Spina bifida
A birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord do not
form properly.
A type of neural tube defect. The neural tube forms early in
pregnancy and closes by the 28th day after conception. Babies
with Spina bifida do not have such progress and will suffer from
this defect in the spinal and in the bones of the spine.

Types of Spina bifida:

Spina bifida occulta
It is the mildest and most common type. Many people who have
spina bifida occulta do not even know it until they accept
professional medical examinations. This type of SP usually does
not have obvious symptoms.
Myelomeningocele
aka "Open Spina Bifida"
It is the most severe type. Typical Symptoms are listed below:
The spinal canal is open along several vertebrae in the lower or
middle back.
Both the membranes and the spinal cord forming a sac.
Tissues and nerves usually are exposed, though sometimes skin
covers the sac.
Musculoskeletal injuries
Refer to the damage of muscular or skeletal systems, which is
usually due to strenuous activities. They are the most common
work-related injuries. Workers often engage in some frequent and
repetitive works that require them to hold awkward postures while
working and eventually cause the disease to develop.