title: Physical activity promotion for people with spinal cord injury: physiotherapists' beliefs and actions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is vital that people with spinal cord injury (SCI) lead a physically active lifestyle to promote long term health and well-being. Yet within rehabilitation and upon discharge into the community, people with SCI are largely inactive. Physiotherapists are well placed to promote a physically active lifestyle and are valued and trusted messengers of physical activity (PA) by people with SCI. Therefore this study aimed to explore the perceptions of physiotherapists in SCI rehabilitation on PA for people with SCI, and what is done to promote PA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were completed with 18 neurological physiotherapists (2-22 years experience) from SCI centres in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Framed by interpretivism, an inductive thematic analysis was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three themes were identified: (1) perceived importance of PA; (2) inconsistent PA promotion efforts; and (3) concern regarding community PA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article makes a significant contribution to the literature by identifying that although physiotherapists value PA, active promotion of PA remains largely absent from their practice. To enable physiotherapists to promote and prescribe PA as a structured and integral component of their practice, effective knowledge strategies need designing and implementing at the macro, meso, and micro levels of healthcare. Implications for Rehabilitation Physiotherapists are well placed to promote a physically active lifestyle and are perceived as valued and trusted messengers of physical activity (PA). The importance of PA for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) is valued by physiotherapists yet PA promotion is largely absent from their practice. Physiotherapists lack specific education and training on PA and SCI and hold certain beliefs which restrict their promotion of PA. Knowledge translation across the macro, meso, and micro levels of healthcare are essential to facilitate effective PA promotion.
authors.affiliation: a Carnegie School of Sport , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK.
authors.forename: Toni L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: b School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences , The University of Birmingham , Birmingham , UK.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: c School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Leicestershire , UK.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papathomas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D024382:Professional Role; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Physical therapy; active lifestyle; healthcare; knowledge translation; neurological conditions; qualitative