Successfully improving physical activity behavior after rehabilitation.

PURPOSE

To determine the effects of the physical activity promotion programs Rehabilitation & Sports (R&S) and Active after Rehabilitation (AaR) on sport and daily physical activity 1 year after in- or outpatient rehabilitation.

DESIGN

Subjects in intervention rehabilitation centers were randomized into a group receiving R&S only (n = 315) and a group receiving R&S and AaR (n = 284). Subjects in six control centers (n = 603) received usual care.

SETTING

Ten Dutch rehabilitation centers.

SUBJECTS

Subjects consisted of 1202 rehabilitation patients. Most frequent diagnoses were stroke, neurological disorders, and back disorders.

INTERVENTION

Both the sport stimulation program (R&S) and the daily physical activity promotion program (AaR) consisted of personalized tailored counseling.

MEASURES

Two sport outcomes and two daily physical activity outcomes were assessed with questionnaires at baseline and 1 year after rehabilitation.

ANALYSIS

Multilevel analyses comparing both intervention groups to the control group.

RESULTS

The R&S program showed no significant effects. Intention-to-treat analyses in the R&S + AaR group showed borderline significant improvements in one sport (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66, p = .02) and both physical activity outcomes (OR = 1.68, p = .01 and regression coefficient = 10.78, p = .05). On-treatment analyses in the R&S + AaR group showed similar but stronger effects.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of the R&S and AaR programs improved physical activity behavior and sport participation 1 year after in- or outpatient rehabilitation. The R&S program alone did not have any effects.