Abstract
Many people with spinal cord injury (PwSCI) report chronic pain and poor mental health (MH). While physical activity (PA) can improve MH, its association with MH has not been explored in PwSCI who live with chronic pain. This study aimed to explore the relationship between PA, fitness, and subjective, psychological, and social well-being in PwSCI living with chronic pain. We included PwSCI who were ≥ 18 years old, had an injury level lower than C2, and reported chronic pain. We administered the following measures: the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SwLS) and the EuroQol depression and anxiety (subjective well-being); the ICECAP-A Achievement and Progress (psychological well-being); the SCIQOL Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities (SSRA) scale (social well-being); the Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire for PwSCI; a progressive arm crank test (fitness); and the SF-36 pain and fatigue subscales. We included 50 PwSCI (average age 49.6±14.2 years; 24% females). Hierarchical multiple regressions, controlling for age, gender, injury severity, fatigue, and pain, revealed that PA and fitness explained additional variance in depression and anxiety (R2change = .08; R2=.440, p=.03), achievement and progress (R2change =.075; R2=.454, p=.02), and SSRA (R2change =.047; R2=.527, p=.01), but not in SwLS (R2 change =.001; R2=.374, p=.09). These findings suggest that PA and fitness are associated with aspects of MH among PwSCI living with chronic pain. Future research should investigate whether interventions designed to increase PA or fitness can enhance MH in PwSCI living with chronic pain.
