Promoting physical activity for people with neurological disability: perspectives and experiences of physiotherapists

Both New Zealand and Sweden have health and disability policies that promote recreational exercise within society for people with disability. Despite these policies, levels of physical activity by people with disability in these countries are low. Physiotherapists are equipped to assist people with disabling conditions into physical activity. This qualitative study explored the perspectives and experiences of physiotherapists in New Zealand and Sweden toward promoting physically active recreation for adults with chronic neurological conditions. Nine physiotherapists who worked with adults with neurological disability in a range of long-term rehabilitation and community (home) health services were interviewed and the data analysed for themes. The physiotherapists described innovative and resourceful expertise to assist patients to be physically active. However, they perceived a lack of support for their work from within the health system and a lack of knowledge of disability issues within the recreational arena, both of which they perceived hindered their promotion of physical activity for people with neurological disability. Physiotherapists feel unable to fully support health and disability policies for the promotion of physically active recreation for people with neurological conditions, because of perceived constraints from within the recreational arena and their own health systems. If these constraints were addressed, then physiotherapists could be better agents to promote physical activity for people with neurological conditions.