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Paradigms of Lower Extremity Electrical Stimulation Training After Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: February 1, 2018
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Hybrid Functional Electrical Stimulation Improves Anaerobic Threshold in First Three Years after Spinal Cord Injury.
Grant Schleifer1, Ryan Solinsky1, J W Hamner1
1Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Journal of Neurotrauma
|March 2, 2022
Summary
Whole-body exercise, specifically hybrid functional electrical stimulation row training, improved aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). These benefits were most significant for those starting exercise within three years of injury.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to reduced physical capacity and cardiovascular deconditioning.
- Assessing the efficacy of novel exercise interventions is crucial for improving the health and fitness of individuals with SCI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a six-month hybrid functional electrical stimulation (FES) row training program on the anaerobic threshold (AT) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in individuals with SCI.
- To investigate whether the time since injury influences the effectiveness of FES row training on cardiorespiratory fitness.
Main Methods:
- Forty-seven participants with SCI (aged 19-63, injury levels C4-L1, ASIA A-D) underwent six months of FES row training.
- Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold (AT) were measured pre- and post-intervention.
- Participants were categorized into early chronic (<3 years post-injury) and late chronic (>3 years post-injury) groups.
Main Results:
- VO2max and AT significantly increased in the early chronic group but not in the late chronic group.
- The increase in VO2max was greater in individuals who were earlier in their recovery post-SCI.
- Cumulative exercise duration positively correlated with changes in VO2max, but not AT.
Conclusions:
- Hybrid FES row training is an effective intervention for enhancing aerobic capacity and AT in individuals with SCI.
- The timing of the intervention relative to the injury onset is a critical factor, with greater benefits observed when initiated within three years post-injury.
