Type, intensity and duration of daily physical activities performed by adults with spinal cord injury.
METHODS
Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data.


OBJECTIVE
To describe and compare (1) self-reported intensities and durations of specific types of daily physical activities and (2) minutes per day spent on daily physical activities across key demographic groups.


METHODS
Community (Ontario, Canada).


METHODS
Participants were 695 adults with spinal cord injury (SCI; 76% male, Mage=46.81±13.41 years, Myears post injury=15.19±11.10 years). Daily activities were assessed over the telephone using the Physical Activity Recall Assessment for People with SCI. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were computed to test for differences in intensities and durations of different daily activities (objective 1) and between-group differences in minutes per day of daily activities (objective 2).


RESULTS
Overall, participants reported 127.92±142.79 min per day of daily physical activities with significantly more time spent in mild intensity (78.93±104.62 min per day) than moderate- (40.23±68.71 min per day) or heavy-intensity activities (8.75±24.53 min per day). Four patterns emerged with respect to type, duration and intensity, with some activities being typically performed at lighter or heavier intensities than others. There were significant differences in minutes per day of activity intensity and duration between groups based on education, injury severity and mode of mobility (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Given that some groups were more likely to engage in moderate-heavy-intensity activities, and some activities were more likely to be performed at moderate-heavy intensities, interventions that target key groups to increase certain daily activities may be one strategy to enhance overall physical activity participation among people with SCI.
Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
M-J
MJ
Perrier
Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
M J
MJ
Stork
Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
K A
KA
Martin Ginis
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors