Should Children With Temporary Orthopedic Impairments Be Left Out of Physical Education?

Fractures, sprains, and strains are injuries that happen in everyday life to many children. These injuries are healed by using different types of casts, crutches, slings, and splints.

After these injuries occur most children are sent back to school with a note from a doctor that says "Please excuse _________ from participating in Physical Education for the next six to eight weeks". What does this mean for a child's health? These children are not allowed to get physical activity and fitness into their life for up to eight weeks. This does not make much sense for many reasons.

If a child with a temporary Orthopedic Impairment, such as a broken arm went to their English class and had to take a written test but could not because their dominant arm was broken that teacher would most likely accommodate that student by having them take the exam orally. Can accommodations be made for students in Physical Education? The answer is Yes! For example, a students with a broken arm can practice soccer dribbling skills. That student may also practice throwing a football, baseball, or frisbee with their non dominant hand. Practicing with their non dominant hand can increase a student's skill level. For a student who may have broken a leg or foot they can use a wheelchair and play wheelchair basketball. They may also focus on more activities that require upper body.

Why should these students sit out of Physical Education due to a temporary Orthopedic Impairment? These impairments should not hold them back from physical activity. Children with permanent Orthopedic Impairments participate in Physical Education so why should these children be exempt. Some may argue that these students should be exempt so that no further injury will be caused. With correct accommodation and modifications made for these children no further injury will be caused. What will be caused is students fitness and physical activity decreasing.

Keeping students with temporary Orthopedic Impairments out of Physical Education will be detrimental to a child's development and fitness. These students need to be kept in Physical Education and have accommodations and modifications made so that they can participate. Only good can come out of this because students will be kept active for at least 45 minutes in their day opposed to getting no physical activity in their day. When students are excused for those six to eight weeks their fitness and activity level drops.

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