Select Papers related to Exercise for Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries:
Get In Motion: An Evaluation of the Reach and Effectiveness of a Physical Activity Telephone Counseling Service for Canadians Living With Spinal Cord Injury [2014]
Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) improves health and quality of life among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) 1 and 2. Unfortunately, most of this population does not engage in LTPA at sufficient levels to achieve these benefits [3]. A lack of knowledge, motivation, and resources are common barriers that hinder participation for persons with SCI [4]. Providing LTPA informational and support services are essential for influencing knowledge, skills, and participation in LTPA, and should be a priority for the SCI community. One emerging informational and support delivery strategy is telehealth, which uses telecommunications strategies to support long-distance health care and education [5]. Telephone-based counseling is an example of a telehealth service and provides several advantages over traditional face-to-face counseling. For example, telephone-based counseling has the potential for wide population reach because the telephone is the most widely available communication medium [6] and does not require any travel on the part of the user or the provider. It also facilitates on-going patient education, which is essential for the management of chronic conditions and maintenance of healthy behaviors [7]. Thus, telephone-based counseling has the potential to increase LTPA participation because it can mitigate the barriers of accessing LTPA education and counseling among individuals with SCI.
Investigating intermediary variables in the physical activity and quality of life relationship in persons with spinal cord injury. [2013]
Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) has been consistently associated with quality of life (QOL) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, recent research suggests that intermediary variables account for the LTPA-QOL relationship in other populations. Using a prospective design, this study examined potential intermediary constructs linking LTPA and QOL in people with SCI. Drawing from previous literature, a longitudinal structural equation model was developed and tested to determine if depression, functional independence, social integration/participation, and self-efficacy mediate the LTPA–QOL relationship. Method: Participants (n = 395) were adults with SCI who reported engaging in at least some LTPA over an 18-month period. LTPA was assessed at baseline, the intermediary variables of depression, functional independence, social integration/participation and self-efficacy were measured at 6-months, and QOL was evaluated at 18-months. Results: The structural model had minimally acceptable fit [χ²(395) = 803.16, p > .05; CFI = .90, RMSEA = .05 and SRMR = .06]. Baseline LTPA was related to functional independence (β = .20, p > .05), depression (β = −.32, p > .05) and self-efficacy (β = .60, p > .05) at 6 months. Six-month functional independence (β = .15, p > .05), social participation (β = .21, p > .05) and depression (β = −.34, p > .05) significantly predicted 18-month QOL. Only functional independence and depression were significant mediators. Conclusions: These results suggest that LTPA may improve QOL in adults with SCI through its influence on functional independence and depression.
Spinal cord injury, physical activity, and quality of life: a systematic review [2013]
Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) tend to report poorer quality of life (QOL) than people without a physical disability. Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) has been shown to improve the QOL of people with and without disabilities and chronic conditions. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the LTPA-QOL relationship among people with SCI by focusing on both objective and subjective QOL for both global QOL and domain-specific (physical, psychological, social) QOL. Results suggest that LTPA is significantly associated with increases in both objective and subjective QOL in global QOL and all three QOL domains, with relatively few studies demonstrating a negative or nonsignificant relationship. Recommenda – tions for future QOL research and interventions are discussed.