Table 3 Main categories of the focus-group discussion on the barriers to and facilitators of physical activity promotion

(1) Individuality vs. organisational–structural conditions

 - Guidelines and standards impair patient-centred care (barrier).

 - A large facility may offer a wide range of different exercise therapies (facilitator), while a small facility may have a family atmosphere and potential for a significant therapist–patient to develop (facilitator).

- The changing of therapists may be quite frequent (barrier).

(2) The role of exercise therapists

 - They have empathy for the needs of rehabilitants (facilitator).

 - They can be persuasive with a view to promoting PA (facilitator).

(3) Cooperation, communication, and common messages in the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team

 - Joint messages promote PA (facilitator).

 - Team exchange compensates for a lack of consistency in therapists (facilitator).

 - The medical dominance within therapy prescription partially impairs the suitability of exercise plans (barrier).

(4) Expectations and previous exercise experiences of rehabilitants

 - Rehabilitants expect passive interventions such as massages (barrier).

 - Rehabilitants can motivate themselves based on their previous experience of exercise (facilitator).

 - The older rehabilitants are less motivated (barrier).

(5) Quantity and quality of rehabilitation aftercare services

 - There is a possibility of continuing aftercare in the same facility (facilitator).

 - It is important to ensure the quality of aftercare services (facilitator/barrier).

 - Some aftercare actors offer follow-up contacts (facilitator).