Articles

Michael Kjaer, in 2000 wrote one of the clearest, concise summaries of why exercise is vital in paraplegia. It puts the case for FES Cycling quite nicely and is worth a read.

Read more: Exercise Vital in Paraplegia

According to an article in the Economist, a few years ago researchers found a way to create a remotely controlled on-off switch in a neuron by inserting a light-sensitive gene into the nerve cell.  Now the same technique has been used experimentally in laboratory rats in a study that could help with spinal-cord injuries.

Read more: How light can move the nervous system

Study design: Randomized controlled trial of exercise training in persons with spinal cord injury.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 9 months of twice-weekly exercise training on strength, arm ergometry performance, and indices of psychological well-being and quality of life.

Setting: Centre for Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Methods: Thirty-four men and women (aged 19–65 years) with traumatic spinal cord injury (C4–L1; ASIA A–D) of 1–24 years duration volunteered to participate, and were randomized into exercise (EX; n=21) and control (CON; n=13) groups. Twenty-three subjects (11 EX; 12 CON) successfully completed the 9-month study. Subjects were assessed for one repetition maximum (1RM) strength, arm ergometry performance, and several indices of quality of life and psychological well-being at baseline, 3, 6, and 9 months.

Results: At baseline, there were no significant differences between groups in age, submaximal arm ergometry performance, muscle strength, or psychological well-being. Following training, the EX group had significant increases in submaximal arm ergometry power output (81%; P<0.05), and significant increases in upper body muscle strength (19–34%; P<0.05); no significant changes occurred in CON. Participants in EX reported significantly less pain, stress and depression after training, and scored higher than CON in indices of satisfaction with physical function, level of perceived health and overall quality of life (P<0.05). Exercise adherence (per cent of prescribed sessions attended) in those subjects who completed the 9 months of training was 82.5%.

Conclusions: These results demonstrate that long-term twice-weekly exercise training in this population is feasible, and results in significant gains in both physical and psychological well-being.

Original Article

Spinal Cord (2003) 41, 34–43. doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3101389

Long-term exercise training in persons with spinal cord injury: effects on strength, arm ergometry performance and psychological well-being

A L Hicks¹, K A Martin¹, D S Ditor¹, A E Latimer¹, C Craven², J Bugaresti² and N McCartney¹

Physical activity has demonstrated beneficial effects on health and longevity in the general population, and physically active individuals are at lower risk for many chronic diseases compared to their sedentary peers.

Individuals with disabilities in general are less active than individuals without disabilities, but it is still unknown if physical activity confers the same level of risk reduction in populations with as without disabilities. Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) have among the lowest levels of physical activity participation compared to other populations. They also demonstrate early onset of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.

This literature review discusses evidence for the potential benefits of physical activity in persons with SCI and provides a summary of pertinent studies to date.

Although being physically active and physically fit appears to be associated with several health benefits in persons with SCI, most studies are small and little longitudinal evidence exists. Future studies will be needed to address this need.

See Fernhall B, Heffernan K, Jae SY, Hedrick B. in

Health implications of physical activity in individuals with spinal cord injury: a literature review.

J Health Hum Serv Adm. 2008 Spring;30(4):468-502. Links