Attitudes and perceptions towards physical activity in italian people with spinal cord injury: a cross-sectional observational study

Purpose: physical activity (pa) is a crucial tool for managing comorbidities and preventing secondary complications in individuals with spinal cord injuries (sci). despite its well-documented benefits, participation in pa among individuals with sci remains low, with significant barriers affecting engagement. the aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of italian individuals with sci towards pa and to identify the factors that influence these attitudes. methods: a cross-sectional observational study was conducted using ad-hoc questionnaire to assess five domains of the attitude towards pa: physical benefits, psychological benefits, motivation, social aspects, and perceived barriers. demographic characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. spearman’s correlation was used to examine associations between domains. group differences based on activity levels were assessed using the mann–whitney u test. results: a total of 54 participants (mean age 51.0 ± 13.89 years) completed the questionnaire. among them, 49 acknowledged the physical benefits of physical activity for health, while 44 recognized its psychological benefits. however, 17 participants (31.5%) reported barriers related to accessibility, cost, and lack of adapted programs. conclusions: individuals with sci demonstrate a predominantly positive attitude toward pa, but significant barriers limit their participation. previous sports participation showed a promising contribution in shaping attitudes toward pa, particularly in the psychological, motivational, and social domains.