Bhise A1, Shukla Y1, Amarsheda S1, Patel S1, Prabhakar MM1
1Government Physiotherapy College, Physiotherapy, Ahmedabad, India
Background: Spinal Cord Injury is a major health cause of disability and is accompanied by enormous health care cost. Cardiovascular disease has emerged as the leading cause of mortality in chronic SCI. Physical inactivity and marked deconditioning are highly prevalent among persons with spinal cord injury. Moreover, a reduction in cardiopulmonary fitness may also lead to vicious cycle of further decline which results in a reduction in functional capacity and ability to live independent lifestyle.
Purpose: Independence of person with SCI within the community depends on their ability to transfer, propel a wheelchair & perform ADLs. These activities require upper body strength and cardio pulmonary endurance. Also it appears that the ordinary activities of ADLs are not adequate to maintain cardio-pulmonary fitness in patients of SCI and are not intense enough to prevent deterioration of physical fitness. The purpose of present study is to assess the effect of arm ergometry training as an aerobic training on functional endurance of Individuals with spinal cord injury.
Methods: After taking ethical approval and written informed consent, participants diagnosed with Traumatic spinal cord injury below T6 level and ASIA Grade A and B were selected for the study. The outcome measurements were 6 Minute push test and Resting heart rate for Cardio-Pulmonary fitness. Patients in group A were given upper extremity training with arm ergometer and conventional therapy. Patients in group B were given conventional therapy alone. All the outcome measures were analysed at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment using appropriate statistical test. Level of significance was kept at 95%. Changes in outcome measures were analysed within group as well as between groups.
Results: Total of 100 participants were analyzed using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test for within group analysis and Mann-Whitney U test for between group analysis. GROUP A with ERGOMETER as well as GROUP B with CONTROL group shows significant improvement in distance of 6 minute push test and Resting Heart Rate after training. GROUP A with ERGOMETER shows more improvement than GROUP B with CONTROL in distance of 6 minute push test and Resting Heart Rate after training.
Conclusion(s): Upper extremity training with arm Ergometry training is more effective to improve cardio-pulmonary fitness in individuals with Spinal cord injury.
Implications: Arm ergometry should be added as effective aerobic training method to improve functional endurance in the routine rehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injury.
Keywords: Spinal cord injury, Arm ergometry, functional endurance
Funding acknowledgements: Unfunded
Purpose: Independence of person with SCI within the community depends on their ability to transfer, propel a wheelchair & perform ADLs. These activities require upper body strength and cardio pulmonary endurance. Also it appears that the ordinary activities of ADLs are not adequate to maintain cardio-pulmonary fitness in patients of SCI and are not intense enough to prevent deterioration of physical fitness. The purpose of present study is to assess the effect of arm ergometry training as an aerobic training on functional endurance of Individuals with spinal cord injury.
Methods: After taking ethical approval and written informed consent, participants diagnosed with Traumatic spinal cord injury below T6 level and ASIA Grade A and B were selected for the study. The outcome measurements were 6 Minute push test and Resting heart rate for Cardio-Pulmonary fitness. Patients in group A were given upper extremity training with arm ergometer and conventional therapy. Patients in group B were given conventional therapy alone. All the outcome measures were analysed at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment using appropriate statistical test. Level of significance was kept at 95%. Changes in outcome measures were analysed within group as well as between groups.
Results: Total of 100 participants were analyzed using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test for within group analysis and Mann-Whitney U test for between group analysis. GROUP A with ERGOMETER as well as GROUP B with CONTROL group shows significant improvement in distance of 6 minute push test and Resting Heart Rate after training. GROUP A with ERGOMETER shows more improvement than GROUP B with CONTROL in distance of 6 minute push test and Resting Heart Rate after training.
Conclusion(s): Upper extremity training with arm Ergometry training is more effective to improve cardio-pulmonary fitness in individuals with Spinal cord injury.
Implications: Arm ergometry should be added as effective aerobic training method to improve functional endurance in the routine rehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injury.
Keywords: Spinal cord injury, Arm ergometry, functional endurance
Funding acknowledgements: Unfunded
Topic: Cardiorespiratory; Neurology: spinal cord injury
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Government Spine Institute
Ethics committee: Institutional Sub-committee of Institutional Ethics Committee, Civil Hospital
Ethics number: GSHESC/08/15
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
