Efficacy of a new rehabilitative device for individuals with spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
Regular exercise is required in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) to reduce the deleterious effects of chronic paralysis. The primary aims of the study were to examine responses to passive and active exercise on a new rehabilitative device for persons with SCI and to examine reliability of these responses over 2 days of testing.


METHODS
Nine men and women with chronic SCI completed the study, 2 with a complete injury and 7 with an incomplete injury. The level of injury ranged from thoracic (T4-T6 and T10) to cervical (4 with C5-C6 and 3 with C6-C7 injuries). They completed 2 30-minute sessions of active lower-body and passive upper-body exercise, during which heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), gas exchange data, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and oxygen-hemoglobin saturation were continuously assessed.


METHODS
One-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to examine differences in all variables over time.


RESULTS
Results demonstrated significant increases (P < 0.05) in HR, systolic BP, RPE, and oxygen uptake (V(O2)) from rest to exercise. No change (P > 0.05) in diastolic BP or oxygen-hemoglobin saturation was evident. Cronbach's alpha values for HR, systolic BP, and V(O2) recorded over both days of testing ranged from 0.79 to 0.97, indicating adequate consistency.


CONCLUSIONS
Data demonstrated that exercise on this device significantly increases HR, V(O2), and systolic BP compared to rest. However, its efficacy for long-term rehabilitation, especially in regular exercisers with SCI, is unknown.
Astorino
Todd A
TA
California State University San Marcos, Department of Kinesiology, San Marcos, CA 92096-0001, USA. astorino@csusm.edu
Tyerman
Nick
N
Wong
Keau
K
Harness
Eric
E
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013997:Time Factors
D010108:Oxyhemoglobins