Gains in aerobic capacity with whole-body functional electrical stimulation row training and generalization to arms-only exercise after spinal cord injury.

ABSTRACT:

Study design

Longitudinal study in adults (n?=?27; 19-40 years old) with tetraplegic or paraplegic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objectives

Determine physiological adaptations and generalizable fitness effects of 6 months of whole-body exercise training using volitional arm and functional electrical stimulation (FES) leg rowing.

Setting

Outpatient hospital-based exercise facility and laboratory.

Methods

Participants enrolled in hybrid FES-row training (FESRT) and performed peak exercise tests with arms-only (AO; baseline and 6 months) and FES rowing (baseline, 3, 6 months).

Results

Participants demonstrated increased aerobic capacity (VO_2peak) after FESRT (p?p²?=?0.56) that tended to be higher when assessed with FES than AO rowing tests (0.15?±?0.20 vs. 0.04?±?0.22?L/min; p?=?0.10). Changes in FES and AO VO_2peak were significantly correlated (r?=?0.55; p?6%) on both test formats. Younger age was the only difference between those who showed generalization of training effects and those who did not (mean age 26.6?±?5.6 vs. 32.0?±?5.7 years; p?2peak correlated to time since injury in individuals <2 years post-SCI (r?=?-0.51, p?2peak improvements were greater during the first 3 months vs. months 4-6 (+7.0% vs. +3.9%; p?ConclusionsGains in aerobic capacity after whole-body FESRT are better reflected during FES-row testing format. They relate to high-intensity exercise and appear early during training, but they may not generalize to equivalent increases in AO exercise in all individuals with SCI.

SUBMITTER: Mercier HW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7855132 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature