Access to gyms for wheelchair users is still unsatisfactory according to recent research from the disabled children charity, Whizz-Kidz.

Only two out of eight national heath and fitness chains contacted as part of an online survey offered full access in all their gyms.

However, the charity claims access is not the only problem; attitudes to disabled gym users are still a cause for a concern.

One independent gym said its “strong boys” could carry a wheelchair user up the flight of stairs outside its premises, while one national chain insisted that the carers of a disabled person had to become members of the gym too. With three different carers this would be a costly membership.

Access and attitudes vary vastly, leaving disabled gym users with little knowledge of which gyms are accessible to them, said Whizz-Kidz. One chain’s accessibility audits revealed that only 25 per cent of its gyms were accessible, while several chains were unable to say how many of their clubs were accessible at all.

The two groups that did provide full access were Holmes Place and Greens.

Ruth Owen, Whizz-Kidz chief executive and a wheelchair user, said she was shocked that only one of her three local gyms had full accessibility with suitable cardiovascular equipment and personal trainers who could adapt a programme to suit her needs.

Tushar Patel, a wheelchair athlete and BBC commentator for the 2004 Paralympics said: “I’ve been a wheelchair athlete for six years and I have to use a gym three times a week as part of my training. Finding a fully accessible gym that is user-friendly has always been difficult.

“When I started weight training I had to consider many factors such as access to gym facilities, sufficient space in between machines to maneuver my wheelchair, and being able to train independently.”

The online survey ran on the Whizz-Kidz homepage between 22 December and 10 January 2005 and received 316 responses, 11 per cent of which came from disabled respondents. The charity also contacted the head office of eight national gym chains to ask if their gyms were fully accessible.

Whizz-Kidz said it aims to conduct full survey, which will include visits to the sites, in six months time.

In response to the findings, the Fitness Industry Association (FIA) said it considers issues of access for both disabled and non-disabled members as very important areas.

“Seminars on the Disability Discrimination Act were held throughout the UK in 2004 to reinforce access requirements as stated in the Act,” said a spokesperson.

“However, there will always be health clubs that cannot provide access to all disabled users due to the age and listed status of their buildings. In these cases, health clubs are advised to facilitate access as far as they can for "reasonable costs". The FIA continues to advise members on what is "reasonable" and direct them for further consultation to the English Federation of Disability Sport.” Details: www.whizz-kidz.org.uk