SCIPA Com: Outcomes from the spinal cord injury and physical activity in the community intervention

© 2016 International Spinal Cord Society.Study design: Quasi-experimental translational study with pre- and post-measures. Objectives: To determine the effects of the Spinal Cord Injury and Physical Activity in the Community (SCIPA Com) intervention on leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and associated outcomes among participants with spinal cord injury (SCI). Setting: Young Men's Christian Associations and community fitness centers, Australia and New Zealand. Methods: SCIPA Com consisted of three stages: (i) training exercise professionals via the Train the Trainers Spinal Cord Injury course; (ii) implementation of supervised physical activity programs twice a week for 30 to 60 min for 8 to 12 weeks; and (iii) follow-up assessments on health outcomes over 9 months. Participants with SCI were classified as active or inactive by baseline LTPA levels and linear mixed methods compared LTPA between groups over time. Results: Sixty-four community-dwelling participants with SCI completed customized physical activity programs. Compared with baseline, there were significant improvements in LTPA (26 min per day, 95% confidence interval (CI): 16.6-35.4; P