Among inpatients, posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity is negatively associated with time spent walking

This study aimed to determine whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and psychological and functional variables were associated with physical activity (PA) upon admission to an inpatient facility. PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety and stress, sleep quality, and PA participation were assessed among 76 participants (age, 47.6 +/- 11.9 years; 83% male). Backward stepwise regression analyses identified variables independently associated with time spent walking and engaging in moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA). No significant correlations were found between any of the variables and MVPA. Total PTSD symptoms (r = -0.39, p <0.001), combined symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (r = -0.31, p <0.01), and sleep behavior (r = -0.24, p <0.05) were significantly and negatively associated with total walking time. Total PTSD symptoms were the only significant predictor of walking time (B = -0.03, SE = 0.008, = -0.4; t = -3.4; p <0.001). Results indicate that increased PTSD symptoms are associated with lower levels of walking. Results highlight the importance of considering symptoms when designing PA programs for people with PTSD.