Leisure-time Physical Activity in People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Population-based Community Sample

To examine leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) volume in the Australian spinal cord injury (SCI) population while exploring its associations with sociodemographic and injury-related characteristics.

This study was a cross-sectional analysis of the Australian cohort of the International Spinal Cord Injury Survey. The study included 1579 participants aged 18 years or older with an SCI. Analyses included summary statistics, analysis of variance, and regression modelling.

Approximately 58% (n = 863) of participants reported some participation in LTPA. The average (SD) total LTPA per week was 333 (318) minutes. Males, younger people, traumatically injured individuals, participants with less time since their injury, and those who required less assistance to ambulate reported between 50% and 200% more engagement in LTPA than their counterparts. Only 204 (13%) participants were compliant with the current SCI-specific physical activity guidelines for fitness improvement. Sociodemographic and injury-related characteristics explained a 2.9% variance for total LTPA, but the model was statistically insignificant.

Participation in LTPA in the Australian SCI population was low, and not enough activity was performed at intensities that elicit healthful change. These data add to the growing body of LTPA and physical activity data for the global SCI population. The trends of physical inactivity are globally consistent. Some sociodemographic variables and injury-related characteristics influence the volume and type of LTPA performed, but their effect is mild. Urgent attention is warranted to improve LTPA volume globally.