Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine activity patterns and perceived barriers to exercise in
ambulant people with neuromuscular disease compared with ambulatory controls.
DESIGN: Prospective controlled parallel group design. SETTING: Outpatient clinic
and community. SUBJECTS: Thirteen ambulatory people with neuromuscular disease
and 18 ambulatory controls. MAIN MEASURES: Heart rates were recorded during
sedentary activity and treadmill walking at various speeds to indicate activity
threshold (flex heart rate), followed by ambulatory heart rate monitoring over
two weekdays and one weekend day. The EPIC-Norfolk Physical Activity
Questionnaire-2 and Barriers to Physical Activity and Disability Survey were
completed. RESULTS: Participants with neuromuscular disease were less active than
controls as estimated by both the EPIC-Norfolk Physical Activity Questionnaire-2,
P<0.004, and the flex heart rate method, P<0.05. The number of perceived barriers
was greater in the neuromuscular group, a mean of 7 (SD 4.2) barriers, compared
with mean 3 (SD 2.1) barriers for controls, P<0.05. Specific barriers differed,
with the barriers of 'pain', 'lack of energy' and 'exercise is too difficult'
showing the greatest discrepancy and being higher in the neuromuscular disease
group. CONCLUSION: Physical activity, as determined by two different methods, was
less and barriers to exercise greater in people with neuromuscular disease
compared with healthy controls. Specific barriers were different in the two
groups. This information could assist in the design of achievable and effective
exercise programmes for people with neuromuscular disease.

Langue : ANGLAIS