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Physical Disability

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Historical print of men experiencing and showing symptoms of physical disabilities

A physical disability is a limitation on a person's physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina. Other physical disabilities include impairments which limit other facets of daily living, such as respiratory disorders, blindness, epilepsy and sleep disorders. Physical Disabilities can take on many different forms. Different forms of disabilities can be both fluctuating or intermittent, as well as chronic, progressive, stable, visible or invisible Physical impairment can also be attributed to disorders causing, among others, sleep deficiency, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and seizures.

Types of Physical Disabilities

Mobility Impairment

Mobility impairment can include physical defects, including upper or lower limb loss or impairment, poor manual dexterity, and damage to one or multiple organs of the body. Disability in mobility can be a congenital or acquired problem or a consequence of disease. People who have a broken skeletal structure also fall into this category. Mobility impairments may also be a result from age, as many people develop a loss of strength and mass, stiff joints, and balance issues once they grow older.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a term used to describe a group of physical, chronic conditions that effect a persons ability to move or maintain balance. It is one of the most popular disabilities found in children, which directly effects the brain and muscle-motor ability. Caused by abnormal brain development, Cerebral Palsy, also known as CP, effects each person differently. The impairment is not progressive, and it is not curable. Those affected by CP may also have related conditions such as: intellectual disability, vision loss, hearing loss, difficulty of speech, or seizures. There are currently four known, differing types of Cerebral Palsy which include Spastic Cerebral Palsy, Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy, Ataxic Cerebral Palsy, and Mixed CP. Spastic CP affects nearly 80% of those diagnosed with the impairment; yet, each type of CP continues to affect people all over the world. There are varying methods of screening and treatment for those affected by the disorder, and there are many early signs in infancy and childhood.

Spina Bifida

Spina Bifida is a neural tube defect that affects the spine. Usually apparent at birth, spina bifida happens when the neural tube does not properly close, which results in either mild or severe damage of the spinal cord and nerves. Children born with the disability may have an open lesion along their back, which can be repaired through surgery. There are three common types of the disorder, including Myelomeningocele, Meningocele, and Spina Bifida Occulta. The impairment is permanent, and can be diagnosed through AFP, Ultrasound, Amniocentesis, or MRI and CT after the birth of the child.

Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy is a group of genetic diseases that are made up of mutations in a persons gene's. This disorder is rare in comparison to others, and can run in families. Out of the 8 major forms of muscular dystrophy, some can affect a person's organs. The impairment does not usually present itself during infancy, but rather popularly affects adult populations.

Other Types of Physical Impairment

Visual Impairment

Visual Impairment is another type of impairment that can be classified as a physical disability. There are millions of people that live with vision impairment, and many of them could have been prevented. Vision impairment can vary from very mild to complete blindness or ocular trauma, and these differences depend on many different factors. Some other types of vision impairment include scratched cornea, scratches on the sclera, diabetes-related eye conditions, dry eyes and corneal graft, macular degeneration in old age and retinal detachment.

Hearing Disabilities

Hearing disabilities can be, but is not limited to, partial or total inability to hear. There are many different ways people may experience hearing loss or deafness. People may experience a hearing disability in childhood through chronic ear infections, fluid in the ear, and meningitis. Additionally, smoking, diseases, trauma to the ear or head, otosclerosis, loud noise, and many other factors may cause hearing loss or deafness through the life span. People who are only partially deaf can sometimes make use of hearing aids and cochlear implants to improve their hearing ability.