Physical activity behaviour of community dwelling persons with traumatic spinal cord injuries in cape town, south africa

Abstract

Background: A spinal cord injury is a devastating condition, associated with permanent disability and decreased life expectancy. Persons with spinal cord injuries (PwSCIs) often lead sedentary lifestyles, which set in motion a cascade of comorbidities linked to lifestyle behaviours. There is growing evidence indicating that decreasing sedentary behaviour and improving physical activity (PA) are connected to favourable rehabilitation outcomes namely health status and physical functioning. There is paucity of evidence to support this postulation in our setting.