Screening and habituation of functional electrical stimulation-leg cycle ergometry for individuals with spinal cord injury: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To document the screening process and develop the habituation procedures prior to commencing a functional electrical stimulation leg cycle ergometry (FES-LCE) exercise program for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).


METHODS
This was a prospective descriptive study of screening and habituation for FES-LCE exercise for people with chronic SCI (injury duration longer than one year).


METHODS
: Tertiary rehabilitation center.


METHODS
Thirteen subjects with SCI (mean years since injury, 7; mean age, 34.8 years; injury range, C4-T10; 7 males).


METHODS
Time to attain target cycle speed for 30 continuous minutes.


RESULTS
Six of the 13 subjects were not eligible to start the FES-LCE habituation program because of previous fragility fracture, excessive spasticity, pain, autonomic dysreflexia, or lack of electrical stimulation response because of lower motor neuron damage in individuals with low thoracic injuries (T11-12). Time to attain target cycle speed for 30 continuous minutes ranged from 30 to 779 minutes (1-31 training sessions).


CONCLUSIONS
Almost half of the individuals interested in participating in the FES-LCE exercise program did not pass the screening phase. Although the habituation phase was time-consuming for most of the participants who were able to use the FES-LCE, all reported few adverse effects to using the device once they completed this phase of training.
Tawashy
Amira E
AE
Rehabilitation Research Lab, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver, BC.
Eng
Janice J
JJ
Krassioukov
Andrei V
AV
Warburton
Darren E R
DE
Ashe
Maureen C
MC
Hung
Chihya
C
D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult