Tele-exercise and spinal cord injury: Effects on physical activity, strength, and quality of life

People with spinal cord injuries (SCI) face barriers to physical activity, which a synchronous tele-exercise program aims to overcome.

To assess strength, physical activity levels, and quality of life in people with SCI following a synchronous tele-exercise program.

Ten people with SCI (T3 = 1; T4 = 2; T6 = 2; T7 = 1; T10 = 2; T12 = 2) participated in a 12-week tele-exercise program, consisting of three weekly sessions focused on strength training. Before and after the intervention, participants underwent a strength test and completed the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (PASIPD) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). Paired t-tests were applied, except for the psychological domain, which was analyzed using the Wilcoxon test.

The results of the strength test showed an increase in the number of repetitions between the pre- (19.7 ± 7.0) and post-intervention moments (25.1 ± 7.3; P < 0.001). The tele-exercise program identified an increase in the level of physical activity compared to the pre- (3.0 ± 2.0) and post-intervention (6.8 ± 3.4 MET h/week; P = 0.002) moments. In quality of life, there was an increase in scores in all domains: physical, psychological, environmental, and social. Despite the nominal increase, the physical domain showed no differences (P = 0.475).

Synchronous tele-exercise is a viable approach for this population, improving strength, physical activity levels, and quality of life in people with SCI.