Leisure time physical activity among older adults with long-term spinal cord injury

Abstract

Many older adults with long-term SCI do not reach the amount or intensity of LTPA needed to achieve fitness benefits. Research is needed on how to increase LTPA and to identify modifiable factors that could enhance their participation.

Self-reported health problems and prioritized goals in community-dwelling individuals with spinal cord injury in Sweden

“…Our findings indicate that improving strength, fitness and balance were common functional goals for all participants independent of age, YSI, type of injury, level-completeness of injury, sex, and residential location. This supports the recommendations from other studies that services providing resistance and fitness training opportunities are highly needed and should therefore be readily available for all individuals with SCI (4,19,28,29). Transfers were more likely to be reported as a goal by women, potentially due to their body composition (short arms proportionally to torso, larger pelvis and smaller muscle bulk).…”

“…The presence of secondary health conditions per se may not necessarily have a negative impact on activity, participation, life satisfaction and QoL (12,19). For these reasons, it would be meaningful to identify those conditions that are perceived as unbearable, as those require immediate attention and could potentially make a difference in activity and participation level, as well as QoL.…”

Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Older Adults With Long‐Term Spinal Cord Injury

“…The SASCIS is a population‐based, longitudinal cohort study assessing persons 50 years of age or older and at least 10 years after a traumatic or nontraumatic SCI. The results from our previous studies are overall positive, showing that older adults with long‐term SCI in Sweden have some strategies and characteristics that may support healthy aging .…”

“…The overall aim is to contribute to the knowledge base of factors associated with healthy aging in individuals with long‐term SCI. We have previously described the methodology of the SASCIS , secondary health conditions, activity limitations and life satisfaction , participation in leisure time physical activity , participation restrictions and housing accessibility , and depressive symptoms and psychological resources in this population. In the present study, cross‐sectional data on the following CVD risk factors were included in the analyses: (1) BMI, (2) WC, (3) BP, (4) tobacco use, (5) FPG, and (6) lipid profiles.…”

“…With advances in health care and rehabilitation, many persons with SCI can be expected to live long lives. Promoting healthy and active aging many years after the injury has therefore received increased attention in research as well as clinical practice . To contribute to the knowledge of aging with long‐term SCI, we initiated the Swedish Aging with Spinal Cord Injury Study (SASCIS) .…”