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Journal of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Feasibility of a physiotherapist-supervised walking program with telephone coaching to increase physical activity following acquired brain injury

Caitlyn Payne A , Janelle Gesch A B , Esther Smits https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1356-7255 C , Charlotte Brakenridge https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4540-7659 C D , Venerina Johnston https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0911-0866 E F , Paul A. Gardiner https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8072-2673 G , Tracy Comans https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2840-3496 H , Ryan Bell B and Elise Gane https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5901-3899 A E I *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Physiotherapy Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

B Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

C RECOVER Injury Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

D School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

E School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

F Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Darling Heights, Qld, Australia.

G School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

H Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

I Centre for Functioning and Health Research, Metro South Health, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

* Correspondence to: e.gane@uq.edu.au

Handling Editor: Suzanne Kuys

Brain Impairment 25, IB23095 https://doi.org/10.1071/IB23095
Submitted: 8 September 2023  Accepted: 9 May 2024  Published: 29 May 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

Physical activity has health benefits for adults with acquired brain injury, but it is a challenge to increase physical activity during inpatient rehabilitation. The objectives of this pilot study were to determine whether a physiotherapy-supervised inpatient walking program was feasible and able to improve physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the short and medium term.

Methods

Adults with acquired brain injury receiving inpatient rehabilitation undertook twice-weekly supervised walks plus behavioural therapy for 4 weeks. Feasibility was measured via recruitment, participation and drop out rates, adverse events and intervention delivery costs. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured with an activPAL. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention and 3–6 months post-intervention.

Results

The program was safe to deliver (no adverse events), recruitment rate was 55% (16/29) and the participation rate for eligible individuals was high (14/19, 74%). However, the program had a high drop out rate (7/16, 44%) and physical activity and sedentary behaviour did not significantly change during the 4-week intervention. Costs were AU$427.71/participant. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour did improve 3–6 months after the intervention (vs baseline, on average: +3913 steps per day, 95% CI: 671, 7156).

Conclusion

This pilot study demonstrated a supervised physiotherapy walking program is safe and feasible to recruit in an inpatient setting. However, drop out during the study was high and behaviour change did not occur. More work is required to boost physical activity during sub-acute rehabilitation for acquired brain injury.

Keywords: behavioural therapy, brain injury, hospital rehabilitation, physical activity, physiotherapy, sedentary behaviour, self-management, walking.

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