In a recent article by Martin Ginis et al. (2007) in the journal Spinal Cord, researchers describe their Study of Health and Activity in People with Spinal Cord Injury (SHAPE SCI) that examines physical activity in people with different levels and completeness of spinal cord injury (SCI), investigates relationships between physical activity and the risk or presence of secondary health conditions, and identifies factors that determine physical activity levels in people with SCI.

In the SHAPE SCI study, 720 men and women with traumatic SCI who were 18 years and older and had been injured for at least 1 year completed self-report measures of physical activity (i.e., type, frequency, duration, and intensity of physical activity performed over the previous 3 days), physical activity determinants (i.e., pre-injury activity levels, social support, neighborhood environment), secondary health problems (i.e., fatigue, pressure sores, pain, overweight), and subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, motor functional independence).

To read the entire column, go to: http://www.ncpad.org/541/2481/Focus~on~Secondary~Condition~Prevention~~~Using~Evidence-Based~Physical~Activity~Guidelines~to~Reduce~Secondary~
Conditions~in~People~with~Spinal~Cord~Injury.