Barriers and factors associated with physical activity in patients with chronic venous insufficiency

Background Personal and environmental barriers can make it difficult to engage in physical activity. In people with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), these barriers may exacerbate physical inactivity, but it is not known whether they are independently associated with physical activity levels in addition to clinical and sociodemographic factors. Objective To analyze the barriers and factors that are associated with the level of physical activity in patients with CVI. Methods This cross-sectional study included 97 participants, CVI patients with Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathology (CEAP) C3 to C6 (69.1% women 58.9 ± 10.7 years; 51.5% C5-C6 in CEAP classification). Personal and environmental barriers to physical activity were assessed by questionnaire. Objective time spent in physical activity was measured using a triaxial accelerometer. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were self-reported. Simple and multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association of age with measures of functional capacity, adjusting for sociodemographic, behavioral, clinical, and anthropometric factors. Statistical significance was accepted at p < 0.05. Results Older people with chronic venous insufficiency had greater personal barriers (lack of time and exercise-induced pain) and environmental barriers (unfavorable climate and lack of green spaces) to physical activity ( p < 0.05). After adjustment, physical activity showed a negative association with age (β = −0.022; 95% CI: −0.041 to −0.004) and the absence of a companion (β = −0.001; 95% CI: −0.002 to 0.000), and a positive association with the presence of another health condition (β = 0.001; 95% CI: 0.040 to 0.209). and anthropometrics. Conclusion Our results showed that older patients with CVI face greater personal and environmental barriers to physical activity, such as pain, lack of time, unfavorable weather, and lack of green space. In addition, older age and the absence of a companion were associated with lower levels of physical activity.