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The 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT) is a safe, standardized and well utilized method to assess the functional capacity. Recently, it was reported that the published prediction equations cannot accurately predict a valid maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O2 peak) value in cancer survivors. Thus, the aim of this study was to establish and to validate a new equation based on the 6MWT to predict V̇O2 peak in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors. A total of 200 childhood ALL survivors were enrolled in this study, among which 168 participants underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test and a 6MWT to assess their functional capacity and their cardiorespiratory fitness. In addition, participants completed a physical activity questionnaire. Participants were randomly divided in two groups to establish the equations (n = 118 (70%)) and to validate it (n = 50 (30%)). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine a new prediction equation for V̇O2 peak from 6MWT using clinical and specific variables related to the disease. The accuracy in between V̇O2 peak measured and V̇O2 peak predicted were assessed using the Bland and Altman method. The new establish clinical V̇O2 peak equation is: V̇O2 peak (mL.kg−1.min−1) = (−0.283*age(years)) − (0.099*weight(kg)) + (0.071*6MWD(meters)) −(0.135*HR end(bpm)) + 22.789 with a mean bias of 2.67 mL.kg−1.min−1 (95% CI (−9.64 to 14.98)). The new establish disease-specific V̇O2 peak equation is: V̇O2 peak (mL.kg−1.min−1) = (−0.236*age(years)) − (0.094*weight(kg)) −(0.120*HR end(bpm)) + (0.067*6MWD(meters)) + (0.065*MVLPA(min/day)) − (0.204*DT(years)) + 25.145 with a mean bias of 2.51 mL.kg−1.min−1 (95% CI (−9.98 to 15.01)). This is the first study that predicted V̇O2 peak from a 6MWT using clinical and specific variables related to the disease of childhood ALL survivors. The availability of these newly established V̇O2 peak equations makes them an accurate tool to provide a better follow-up and better adapted physical training for survivors. We invite researchers to use our assessment procedures for their further studies. It is critical to understand the cardiorespiratory fitness of the childhood ALL survivors The maximal oxygen consumption (i.e., V̇O2 peak) is recognized as the gold standard to measure the patient's cardiorespiratory fitness in the field of exercise physiology This study is novel and reports the validation of two new VO2 peak equations, from 6MWT, by using clinical and disease-specific variables of childhood ALL survivors The availability of such validated equations can better facilitate the follow-up of survivors' cardiorespiratory fitness, by relevant health care professionals and exercise physiologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine preferences of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and health care professionals (HCP) regarding the content and format of a SCI physical activity guide to support recently released SCI physical activity guidelines. Seventy-eight people with SCI and 80 HCP completed a survey questionnaire. Participants with SCI identified desired content items and their preferences for format. HCP rated the helpfulness of content items to prescribe physical activity. All content items were rated favorably by participants with SCI and useful by HCP. The risks and benefits of activity and inactivity, and strategies for becoming more active, were rated high by both samples. Photographs and separate information for those with paraplegia versus tetraplegia were strongly endorsed. These data were used to guide the development of an SCI physical activity guide to enhance the uptake of physical activity guidelines for people with SCI. The guide was publically released November 11, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether self-efficacy can account for the relationship between wheelchair skills and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: Fifty-four manual wheelchair users with SCI participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed a wheelchair skills test, and self-report measures of wheelchair-use self-efficacy, LTPA barrier self-efficacy, and LTPA. It was hypothesized that a positive wheelchair skills-LTPA relationship would be mediated by wheelchair-use self-efficacy and LTPA barrier self-efficacy. Results: Using linear regression models, a positive association between wheelchair skills and LTPA was established (β = 0.27, p < 0.05). LTPA barrier self-efficacy was a significant partial mediator, explaining 47.7% of the variance of the total relationship between skills and LTPA. Wheelchair-use self-efficacy was not a significant mediator of the wheelchair skills-LTPA relationship. Conclusions: Wheelchair skills play a modest role in LTPA participation and may facilitate LTPA, if skills help people feel more self-efficacious in their abilities to overcome LTPA barriers. The results have implications for understanding and improving LTPA participation. Improvements in wheelchair skills may facilitate LTPA, if people are taught the skills needed to increase their self-efficacy to overcome barriers to LTPA participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]