Are adults with spinal cord injury meeting the spinal cord injury-specific physical activity guidelines? A look at a sample from a Canadian province

Abstract

Study design: One cross-sectional study. Objectives: To examine the extent to which a sample of adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) meet the SCI-specific physical activity guidelines and to identify potential demographic, injury and motivational characteristics related to participation. Setting: Quebec, Canada. Methods: A sample of 73 adults from the province of Quebec, Canada living with SCI completed the Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire for People with Spinal Cord Injury to report their current frequency (sessions per week) and duration (minutes per session) in aerobic and resistance physical activity. Results: Results showed that 12% of participants in this sample met the guidelines and as many as 44% reported 0 min of physical activity. Only the participants' mode of mobility and autonomous motivation for physical activity emerged as a marginal correlate of the likelihood of meeting the physical activity guidelines. Conclusion: Overall, physical activity participation rates among adults in this sample living with SCI remain quite low. Given the benefits of physical activity for adults with SCI, physical activity promotion efforts are needed.