Short answers, pulled from the story.
A physical disability is a limitation on a person's physical functioning or on their ability to carry out activities such as walking or eating. It is a broad term covering conditions including blindness, deafness, respiratory disorders, epilepsy, and some genetic disorders.
Physical disabilities can be acquired before birth, around the time of birth, or at any point afterward. Prenatal causes include diseases, substances during pregnancy, and genetic disorders, while post-natal causes include accidents, injuries, obesity, infection, and illness.
The main types include mobility impairments such as limb loss, poor manual dexterity, paraplegia, and organ damage, and sensory impairments involving partial or complete loss of the senses. Visual impairments and hearing loss are the most common sensory impairments.
Research suggests road traffic injuries are the leading cause of post-natal disabilities. Post-natal disabilities can also result from accidents, injuries, obesity, infection, and other illnesses.
The World Health Organization does not differentiate between physical and mental disabilities. It treats them together rather than as separate categories.
An inclusive and accessible environment can mitigate many of the restrictions a physical disability imposes. Assistive technology such as a wheelchair or a hearing aid can also help a person carry out daily functions.