Enhancing Physical Activity Among People with Spinal Cord Injury: Implication for Practitioner

Background: In the United States, approximately 28 and 55 per million people have spinal cord injury (SCI) and 10,000 new cases are documented each year.  For years, people with SCI experienced chronic ill health. More recently, studies demonstrate that people with SCI who engage in physical activity are more likely to experience positive health outcomes including physiological benefits, increased life expectancy, improved quality of life and life satisfaction, independent living, increased mobility, and social integration. While exercise benefits are well documented, the challenge exists to encourage more people with SCI to participate in physical activity. The purpose of this study is to review articles that use social cognitive theory to increase physical activity among individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Methods: Studies were collected using the search engines PubMed, SCOUT, and Science Direct. The search terms were “social cognitive theory”, “physical activity”, and “spinal cord injury”.  A descending literature search was used to identify other studies that used these constructs.

Results: A total of 7 studies were identified that met the criteria of 1) surveyed social cognitive variables, 2) collected data on physical activity, and 3) focused on spinal cord injury population.

Conclusions: Self-efficacy was the primary predictor of physical activity in each study. Self-regulation emerged as another direct influencing factor. Utilization of the Social Cognitive Theory constructs may be helpful in assisting people with spinal cord injuries to manage the barriers they encounter each day. Additionally this may be useful for increasing mobility, independence, social integration and quality of life.