Baseline Comparison of Exercisers and Nonexercisers With Spinal Cord Injury Enrolled in a Group Tele-Exercise Program

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Exercise Science
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) exhibit a 1.5-fold higher likelihood of sedentary behavior compared to the general adult population.
• Developing effective strategies to promote physical activity is crucial for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify demographic, psychosocial, and physical characteristics differentiating individuals with SCI who engage in regular physical activity.
• To inform the development of targeted physical activity interventions for individuals with SCI.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional analysis was performed on individuals with SCI enrolled in a group tele-exercise study.
• Participants were categorized as regular exercisers or nonregular exercisers based on American College of Sports Medicine guidelines.
• Statistical analyses (chi-square, Mann-Whitney U tests) compared psychosocial and physical outcomes between groups.

Main Results:

• Exercisers (n=14) had significantly shorter injury duration compared to nonexercisers (n=13).
• Exercisers reported significantly higher exercise self-efficacy and greater weekly minutes of vigorous physical activity.
• Groups were comparable in terms of sex, gender identity, race, and age.

Conclusions:

• Shorter injury duration and higher exercise self-efficacy are associated with regular physical activity in individuals with SCI.
• Interventions should address these factors to enhance physical activity engagement and adherence in the SCI population.