ArticleThe South African journal of physiotherapy2020
Physical activity in physiotherapy students: Levels of physical activity and perceived benefits and barriers to exercise.
Article in The South African journal of physiotherapy, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.
- Barriers to high school and university students' physical activity: A systematic review.PloS one · 2022Pooled it
- Exploring physical activity, perceived barriers, and social media influence in Turkish physiotherapy students.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Barriers to physical activity among university students in the light of psychosocial and body composition determinants.BMC psychology · 2025Observational
- Physical activity in professional training of physiotherapists.Annals of medicine · 2025Article
- Physical Activity Levels and Recreational Participation Among Physiotherapists: A Cross-Sectional Correlational Study.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025Article
- Primary Motives and Barriers to Physical Activity Participation Among Students Registered at a Semi-Rural University: A Mixed-Methods Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Psychometric evaluation of the exercise-related cognitive errors questionnaire among Chinese emerging adults.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Physical activity prevalence and associated factors among Zimbabwean undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Student perceptions on enhancing the delivery of physical activity programs in a semi-rural university.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Article
- Quality of life and quality of education among physiotherapy students in Europe.Frontiers in medicine · 2024Article
- Perceived benefits and barriers to exercise and associated factors among Zimbabwean undergraduate students: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2024Article
- Physical literacy as a determinant of physical activity level among late adolescents.PloS one · 2023Article
- Relationship between physical activity levels of Portuguese physical therapists and mental health during a COVID-19 pandemic: Being active is the key.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Is Achieving the Guidelines of Four Forms of Physical Activity Associated with Less Self-Reported Health Complaints? Cross-Sectional Study of Undergraduates at the University of Turku, Finland.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- University Students' Physical Activity: Perceived Barriers and Benefits to Physical Activity and Its Contributing Factors.SAGE open nursingArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPhysiotherapists have been identified as key role players in health promotion, prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases.
objectivesThe aim of this study is to describe the perceived benefits and barriers to exercise and their association with levels of physical activity (PA) in physiotherapy students attending university in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
methodThis study follows a quantitative, cross-sectional, survey design. Two hundred and ninety-six participants were recruited from three universities in the Western Cape. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire (DQ), Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale (EBBS) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).
resultsFemale students accounted for 83% of the sample. Out of the 296 participants, 58% lived off-campus and 65% were involved in sporting activities six hours per week. The median score on the EBBS was 136 (54-167) for all years. Responses with the highest agreement for perceived benefits were associated with physical performance. Alternatively, responses with the highest agreement for perceived barriers were associated with physical exertion. Only 37.5% students engaged in high PA.
conclusionUndergraduate physiotherapy students in the Western Cape across all three universities do not engage in adequate PA. In this group of students, benefits associated with high PA related to physical performance and barriers associated with low levels of PA related to physical exertion. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Physiotherapists who do not practise what they preach are not effective role models and may not be effective in obtaining behaviour change through PA-related health promotion.
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