New horizons in transplantationGeneral aspectsPhysical Activity Among Organ Recipients: Data Collected From the Latin American Transplant Games

•Most organ recipients in the study had not received a proper medical pre-competitive evaluation.•Most organ recipients sport-trained in an unsupervised manner, and injuries were common.•Physician contributions to public awareness of the Transplant Games was poor.•The more diverse the activity, the better was the self-reported health condition.•Isometric activity is associated with a better self-reported health condition.

BackgroundCardiovascular complications after transplantation are an important cause of non-transplant-related deaths. Depression and anxiety are not unusual among organ recipients. Physical activity reduces cardiovascular risk and promotes a sensation of well-being. The aims of the study were to examine how exercise affects psychological well-being sensation in organ recipients and to describe the physician's role in promoting and controlling safe sport training in transplanted patients.MethodsA descriptive study was conducted. A questionnaire was answered by participants of the “2012 Latin American Transplant Games.”ResultsOne hundred sixty-six organ recipients completed the questionnaire. Eleven percent heard about the transplant games from a physician. Seventy percent had not received a proper medical pre-competitive evaluation. Only 39% trained in a supervised manner and 53% had experienced some kind of sport-related injury. Self-perception of global health was reported as excellent by 19.75%, very good by 43.95%, good by 30.67%, and regular or poor by 5.73%. An excellent or very good health perception was reported by 47.8% of those who practiced only one kind of sport versus 71.5% of those who practiced more than one sport and by 89.6% of those who performed isometric activity versus 59.3% of those who did not perform isometric activity.ConclusionsDiversity of practiced sports and isometric activity are associated with a better self-reported health condition. Most participants had not received a proper medical pre-competitive evaluation; they trained in an unsupervised manner, and injuries were common.