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 < 0.001, n_p² = 0.56) that tended to be higher when assessed with FES

SUBMITTER: Mercier HW 

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

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature