Context: Regular physical activity has increasingly been recommended to promote human health and wellbeing. However, information on participation in physical activities by people with disabilities is relatively scarce. The aim of this article is to conduct a systematically review of studies on physical activity among people with disabilities in mainland China from 1992 to 2013.

Evidence acquisition: In 2015, a search of three major Chinese electronic databases (CNKI, WANGFAN DATA, and VIP) was conducted for studies that examined physical activity among people with disabilities. The search included studies dating from January 1992 to December 2013. After applying inclusion criteria, 31 studies, all cross-sectional in design, were included in this review.

Evidence synthesis: The 31 studies included some self-reports of physical activity by people with disabilities (N=5,982). The results from 9 of the 31 studies indicated that 12.7% of the participants in those studies (N=760) had physical activity levels that met the standards recommended by national physical activity guidelines for China. Levels of physical activity among people with disabilities varied by gender, income, and education. Men and people with higher education and income levels were more physically active compared to women and those with lower education and income levels. In addition, people living in urban areas were more active than those living in rural areas.

Conclusions: Relatively low levels of physical activity were found among people with disabilities in mainland China. Further research on this special population is needed. Studies that employ rigorous standards for design and methodologies, including the use of objective physical activity measures, are recommended.