The relationship between physical fitness and community participation in people with spinal cord injury.
Linda van der Westhuizen, Diphale J Mothabeng, Tshifhiwa M Nkwenika
PMID 30135904WHAT IT FOUND
People with spinal cord injury who pushed farther in a six-minute wheelchair test and felt less exertion afterwards reported higher satisfaction with community participation.
The study did not test whether fitness training improves participation.
Key findings
01People who pushed farther in the six-minute wheelchair push test reported greater satisfaction with community participation.
02People who reported lower exertion after the push test reported greater satisfaction with community participation.
03Participants with paraplegia pushed farther and reported less exhaustion after the push test than participants with tetraplegia.
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
This was a cross-sectional survey, so it cannot show that better fitness causes better community participation. The sample was a convenience sample of 60 people from a private rehabilitation centre database, which may limit generalisability to people with spinal cord injury in the wider community. Most participants were male, had paraplegia and had complete injuries, so the findings may not apply equally to women, people with tetraplegia or people with incomplete injuries. Only people who could push their wheelchair independently and had been living in the community for at least six months were included. Community participation was measured by self-reported satisfaction on the Reintegration to Normal Living Index, not by observed or objective participation. The female group was small, with 10 participants, so gender differences should be interpreted cautiously.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that training physical fitness will improve community participation. This study only found associations between push distance, exertion and reported participation in a cross-sectional survey.