Effects of training status on arterial compliance in able-bodied persons and persons with spinal cord injury

Effects of Rehabilitation Therapy at Different Intervention Times on Daily Living Activity and Motor Function in Patients with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Objectives: We investigated the impact of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) on daily living activities and motor function of TSCI patients. Methods: A total of 88 TSCI patients were randomly divided into Group A (N=44) and Group B (N=44). Group A received rehabilitation treatment 7 days after the stabilization of vital signs, and Group B received rehabilitation treatment 30 days after hospitalization. Results: The compliance rate of Group A (93.18%) was higher than that of Group B (72.73%) (χ 2 =6.510, p<.05); The scores of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in Group A were higher than those in Group B. The self-rating score of anxiety and depression was lower than that of Group B (p<.05). Conclusion: For the rehabilitation treatment of TSCI patients, it is better to choose the intervention after the vital signs are stable to improve patients' ability for daily living activities and motor function.

Cardiovascular response to peak voluntary exercise in males with cervical spinal cord injury

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVE

Traumatic damage to the cervical spinal cord is usually associated with a disruption of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and impaired cardiovascular control both during and following exercise. The magnitude of the cardiovascular dysfunction remains unclear. The aim of the current study was to compare cardiovascular responses to peak voluntary exercise in individuals with tetraplegia and able-bodied participants.

DESIGN

A case-control study.

SUBJECTS

Twenty males with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) as the Tetra group and 27 able-bodied males as the Control group were included in the study.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Blood pressure (BP) response one minute after the peak exercise, peak heart rate (HRpeak), and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) on an arm crank ergometer were measured. In the second part of the study, 17 individuals of the Control group completed the Tetra group's workload protocol with the same parameters recorded.

RESULTS

There was no increase in BP in response to the exercise in the Tetra group. Able-bodied individuals exhibited significantly increased post-exercise systolic BP after the maximal graded exercise test (123±16%) and after completion of the Tetra group's workload protocol (114±11%) as compared to pre-exercise. The Tetra group VO2peak was 59% and the HRpeak was 73% of the Control group VO2peak and HRpeak, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

BP did not increase following maximal arm crank exercise in males with a cervical SCI unlike the increases observed in the Control group. Some males in the Tetra group appeared to be at risk of severe hypotension following high intensity exercise, which can limit the ability to progressive increase and maintain high intensity exercise.