Date: Monday, May 17, 2021
Category: Standards News

RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, has published an updated version of its IF-1 Standard for Inclusive Fitness Environments. This standard specifies best practices and existing regulations, standard specifications, and test methods for determining inclusive fitness facility accessibility and the existence of an inclusive fitness culture and approach to policy development, equipment procurement, staff training, programming, user interactions, and marketing.

This standard was developed by the RESNA Standards Committee on Inclusive Fitness and is available for purchase from RESNA. The cost is $75.00. 

“People with disabilities go to gyms and attend fitness classes—or they want to be able to. This standard is designed to help gym owners understand this population and to encourage them to develop and provide a fitness center culture and facility that is universally accessible to people of all abilities, including those with a disability,” explained Stephanie Schnorbus Stephens, PhD, chair of the committee.

RESNA’s Assistive Technology Standards are approved for publication as American National Standards by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), ensuring that the standards development process meets the Institute’s essential requirements for openness, balance, consensus and due process.

In addition to RESNA IF-1:2021 for Inclusive Fitness Environments, RESNA also offers standards on wheelchairs (including scooters), wheelchairs and transportation, wheelchair related seating, support surfaces, cognitive accessibility and adaptive sports equipment. Standards are available for purchase on the RESNA website at www.resna.org/at-standards.

For more information on the work of the Standards Committee on Inclusive Fitness, please visit https://www.resna.org/AT-Standards/Inclusive-Fitness-IF.