Author Year; Country
Score
Research Design
Total Sample Size

Methods

Outcome

Martin Ginis et al. 2010a (part 1)
Canada
Downs & Black score=19
Cross-sectional telephone survey
N= 695

Population: Traumatic SCI: Gender; Male= 531,Female = 164: Mean age =  47.1±13.5 years: Years post injury = 15.3±11.1 years:
Treatment: Data on physical activity and demographic / injury-related characteristics of SCI patients were collected through telephone interviews.
Outcome Measures: Time of leisure time physical activities (LTPA) by the PARA-SCI.

• Respondents reported a mean of 27.14±49.36 minutes of LTPA a day.
• 50.1% of participants reported no LTPA whatsoever.
• LTPA decreased as age and years post-injury increased.
• Men were more active than women.
• Manual wheelchair users were more active than power wheelchair users and persons using gait aids.
• Participants with tetraplegia with C1–C4 and C5–C8, ASIA grade A–C level injuries were significantly less active than participants with ASIA grade D injuries and participants with paraplegia with ASIA grade A to C injuries.
• Highest amounts of daily LTPA (≥21min/d) were associated with manual wheelchair use and T1 to S5, ASIA grade A to C injury.
• Moderate LTPA (1–20min/day) was most associated with being female, 5 to 10 years post injury, and 21 to 33.8 years of age.
• Inactivity (0min/d) was most associated with being male, greater than or equal to 11 years post injury, and greater than or equal to 33.8 years old.

Martin Ginis et al. 2010b (part 2)
Canada
Downs & Black score=19
Cross-sectional telephone survey
N= 347 (subsample of those reporting engagement in LTPA in Martin Ginis et al. 2010a

Population: Traumatic SCI: Gender; Male= 270,Female = 77: Mean age =  45.4±13.8 years: Years post injury = 13.5±10.0 years:
Treatment: Data on physical activity of SCI patients was collected through telephone interviews.
Outcome Measures: Time of leisure time physical activities (LTPA) by PARA-SCI. This was broken down by type and intensity of activity.

• Participants reported 55.15±59.05 min/day of LTPA at a mild intensity or greater. Median LTPA was 33.33min/d.
• Participants engaged and spent significantly more time on moderate intensity LTPA than mild or heavy intensity LTPA, and more time on mild LTPA than heavy intensity LTPA.
• Resistance training, aerobic exercise, and wheeling were the most frequently reported, whereas sports and craftsmanship activities were performed for the longest durations.
• Activity duration differed as a function of activity intensity for resistance training, wheeling, craftsmanship, walking, play, and standing.
• Resistance training was done for more minutes at a moderate intensity than at heavy and mild intensities, and for more minutes at a heavy intensity than a mild intensity.
• Craftsmanship, play, and wheeling were performed for more minutes at a mild or moderate intensity than at a heavy intensity.
• Walking and standing were done for more minutes at a moderate intensity than a heavy intensity.
• Resistance training, aerobic exercise, and general fitness activities were more likely to be performed at a moderate or heavy intensity than a mild intensity.
• There was no difference in the rate of participation in mild, moderate, or heavy intensity sport activities or in the amount of time spent performing mild, moderate, or heavy intensity activity for the general fitness activities, gardening, swimming, sports, or aerobic exercise.

Tasiemski et al. 2005
UK
Downs & Black score=14
Observational
N=985

Population: SCI: Tetraplegic= 343, Paraplegic=642; Gender: m=798, f=198; Mean age=28.6 yrs; Mean time post injury= 19.5 yrs.
Treatment: Questionnaires mailed to participants.
Outcome measures: The Sports Participation Questionnaire;                            

• Sport Participation: ↓ in participation and hours spent involved in sports after injury versus before (p<0.001).
• 46.7% of participants currently engaged in sport and/or physical activity.
• A significant difference was found in those who participated before injury vs. after injury(p<0.0001):
• 6 hrs + / wk: before=30%, after=9%.
• 3-5 hrs/wk: before=20%, after=10%.
• 1-2 hrs/wk: before=13%, after=11%
• Less than 1 hr/wk: before=7%, after=10%.
• None: before=19%, after=50%.

Carpenter et al. 2007
Canada
Downs & Black score=10
Observational
N=357

Population: Chronic SCI: Complete Tetraplegic=26%, Complete Paraplegic=40%, Incomplete Lesions=30%; Mean age=46 yrs; Mean time post injury=13yrs.
Treatment: Questionnaire
Outcome Measures: British Columbia Paraplegic Association (BCPA) Survey

• Physical activity was the 3rd most common activity in respondent's social life.
• Factors that supported engaging in activities:
• family & peer support
• availability of transportation
•  adaptive equipment
• clubs/advocacy organizations
• The majority of respondents would like to be able to engage in physical activities, sports & fitness (52%).
• 75% of respondents were currently physically active.  The most frequent activities were:
• a personal routine (67%)
• breathing & relaxation exercises (49%)
•  weight training (45%)
• swimming (28%)
• 86% of participates participated in "other activities", such as fishing, kayaking, skidooing, etc. 
• Suggestions to increase participation:
• increased availability & accessibility
•  exercise equipment accessibility
•  fitness trainer  to advise