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Physical Disability Characteristics

Physical disabilities include a range of disorders involving orthopedic, neuromuscular, cardiovascular and pulmonary issues. The physical disability may have been present since birth or a result of injury. People with these disabilities use the assistance of wheelchairs, crutches, canes and artificial limbs so they can move around. There are also disabilities that do not show many symptoms such as epilepsy, pulmonary disease and respiratory disorders.

  1. Mobility

    • Physical disabilities may limit the normal mobility of a person. If someone has been in a car accident, she may require the use of a wheelchair for the rest of her life, depending on the injuries sustained. People with muscular dystrophy may eventually require the use of a wheelchair as their limbs weaken, making it difficult to walk.

    Cognition

    • Some disabilities affect cognitive functions. Memory loss is a common characteristic of multiple sclerosis, which can also affect attention span and concentration. Visual perception is also affected with this disease and verbal fluency is challenged. These conditions can be a result of lesions on the brain that can be diagnosed with an MRI. Cognitive dysfunction can occur with many other diseases as well and progress is slow.

    Muscular

    • People with muscular dystrophy are born with a gene flaw on chromosome 19, one of the autosomes. This disease causes muscle weakness and affects other parts of the body such as the central nervous system, heart, gastrointestinal tract, eyes and endocrine glands. Many people don't show characteristics of the disease for many years and the different types of this disease occur at various ages. Frequent falling, difficulty getting up and weakness in limbs and facial muscles are also characteristics of this muscular disease.

    Neurological

    • Characteristics of neurological disabilities are tremors or shaking, smaller handwriting, loss of smell, difficulty sleeping and dizziness. Those with Parkinson's disease experience many of these characteristics.

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