A qualitative interview study on how people with incomplete spinal cord injury experience high-intensity walking exercise

STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative, in-depth research interviews. OBJECTIVE: To provide new insight into how people with a recent incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) experience high-intensity walking exercise after discharge from subacute inpatient rehabilitation. SETTING: Informants for this interview study participated in a previous randomized controlled trial (RCT) that was conducted at Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Norway. METHODS: Four individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with the participants in natural setting. The interviews were analyzed through systematic text condensation and discussed in the context of experiences of bodily changes. RESULTS: Four themes emerged that described positive but also challenging bodily experiences related to performing high-intensity walking exercise: “Expectations and motivation”—reasons for participating, “Challenging bodily changes”—impacts on walking ability, “Adaptation strategies”—achieving the high-intensity target level, and “Integrating exercise into a new daily life”—combining participation, new body and new life. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates the importance of participating in a specific exercise program at discharge from subacute inpatient rehabilitation for ambulant people with SCI. However, high-intensity walking exercise may be too demanding to perform during this time period. The insights from the study provide new knowledge that can contribute to improving clinical rehabilitation practice.