Barriers and facilitators to physical activity for people with scleroderma: a Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort study.

Objective To support physical activity among people with systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma), we sought to determine the (1) prevalence and importance of barriers and (2) likelihood of using possible facilitators. Methods We invited 1,707 participants from an international SSc cohort to rate the (1) importance of 20 barriers (14 medical; 4 social or personal; 1 lifestyle; 1 environmental); and (2) likelihood of using 91 corresponding barrier-specific and 12 general facilitators. Results Among 721 respondents, 13 barriers were experienced by ≥25% of participants, including 2 (fatigue, Raynaud's) rated 'important' or 'very important' by ≥50% of participants, 7 (joint stiffness and contractures, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal problems, difficulty grasping, pain, muscle weakness and mobility limitations, low motivation) by 26-50%, and 4 by 50% as 'likely' or 'very likely'. Conclusion Medical-related physical activity barriers were common and considered important. Facilitators considered as most likely to be used involved adapting exercise, taking care of one's body, keeping warm, and protecting skin.