The demographic and disability characteristics of individuals who regularly attend an urban adaptive fitness center: An observational study.
Sindhoori Nalla, Kevin Huang, Jacqueline Spangenberg and 2 others
PMID 34617406WHAT IT FOUND
People with significant disabilities who attend an adaptive fitness center are more disabled than 86% of the general population.
Despite this, 96.8% exercise there at least twice a week, showing that high disability levels do not stop regular participation.
Key findings
01Participants had a mean disability summary score of 26.48, placing them in the 86th percentile of the general population, meaning they were more disabled than 86% of people without disabilities.
02Nearly all participants (96.8%) engaged in moderate-intensity physical activity at the fitness center at least twice a week, despite traveling an average of 8 miles to attend.
03There were no significant differences in overall disability scores between diagnostic groups (spinal cord injury, TBI/stroke, and other conditions), although those with spinal cord injury had lower mobility scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was exploratory with a small sample size (63 participants). There was no comparison group of individuals who did not participate in the fitness center, so the study cannot determine why some people with disabilities do not engage in adaptive fitness. Participants were recruited from a specific urban center, which may limit generalizability to rural areas or other communities. Physical activity data was limited to frequency of attendance; the study did not measure the duration or intensity of exercise sessions. Race, ethnicity, and sex differences were not analyzed.
Declared interests
All authors declared they have no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this fitness center caused the participants' health or functional status. The study only surveyed people who already attend the center regularly, so it describes the characteristics of engaged users rather than proving the effectiveness of the program for non-users.