Physical activities – contributing and delaying factors: experience of persons with thoracic spinal cord injury

To find out the experience of maintaining physical activity, contributing and delaying factors for persons with incomplete thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI). In the qualitative study participated five persons with incomplete thoracic SCI. The length of time since the onset of disability was one year and more (range, 2-17 years). Semi – structured interview was used to find out the personal experience of an individuals with SCI in maintaining daily physical activity – contributing and delaying factors. Interview transcriptions were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Optimal recovery, independence and control for individuals after incomplete thoracic SCI are the contributing factors, where the skills of motivating themselves are the most important, but those who succumb to negative emotions are less physically active in everyday life. Professional athletes after SCI considers requirement to be physical active as the routine. We consider that limited information in the country about possibilities to be physical active for person with SCI significant limiting everyday physical activity. Environment, financial situation and government priorities are the physical activity delaying factors more than society as a whole. Given the individual desires and needs for person with SCI, any of factors can be both a contributing and delaying reason to be physically active every day. Any emotional factors that shape the reAdīness to accept reality, make a decisions, control them and adapt to new life, the same as purpose and perseverance contributes daily physical activity for person with SCI. In order to promote environmental accessibility and integration, it is not only sufficient to improve physical accessibility, but it is also necessary to improve the ability of society to communicate, especially for those working in service.Key words: physical activities, persons with spinal cord injury, incomplete thoracic spinal cord injury, contributing factors, delaying factors