title: Does Upper Extremity Training Influence Body Composition after Spinal Cord Injury?
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to serious body composition adaptations characterized by increasing whole body fat mass and decreased soft tissue lean mass (LM). These adaptations in body composition may lead to several cardio-metabolic disorders that reduce the quality of life, increase patients' and caregivers' burden and eventually leads to mortality. Exercise, an appropriate dietary regimen, and an active lifestyle may alleviate several of the negative effects on body composition after a SCI. Today however, there is no established consensus on the recommended dose, frequency or type of exercise to ameliorate several of the body composition sequelae after an acute SCI. Resistance training has been previously recommended as an effective strategy to restore soft tissue LM and decrease fat mass (FM). The strategy can be simply implemented as a routine home-based training program using free weights or resistance bands after a SCI. Additionally, upper extremity (UE) circuit resistance training has been previously used to improve cardiovascular and metabolic parameters after a SCI; however compared to the vast knowledge regarding the able-bodied (AB) population, the effects of UE circuit resistance training on body composition after a SCI is not well established. In summary, the available evidence does not support the rationale that UE circuit resistance training can lead to positive adaptations in body composition after a SCI. Further studies are suggested to examine the effects of UE circuit resistance training on body composition.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Center, Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC, Richmond, VA 23249, USA ; Department of Health and Human Performance; Exercise Science; Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23249, USA.
authors.forename: Justin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Center, Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC, Richmond, VA 23249, USA ; Department of Health and Human Performance; Exercise Science; Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23249, USA.
authors.forename: Meredith A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McNelis
authors.affiliation: Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Center, Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC, Richmond, VA 23249, USA ; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23249, USA.
authors.forename: Ashraf S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gorgey
authors.affiliation: School of Human Performance and Recreation, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Dolbow
authors.affiliation: Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Center, Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC, Richmond, VA 23249, USA ; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23249, USA.
authors.forename: Lance L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Goetz
keywords: barriers to exercise; body composition; cardio-metabolic factors; circuit resistance training; home-based training; spinal cord injury; upper extremity