Rationale and design of a Scale-Up Project Evaluating Responsiveness to Home Exercise And Lifestyle Tele-Health (SUPER-HEALTH) in people with physical/mobility disabilities: a type 1 hybrid design effectiveness trial

Telehealth Movement-to-Music With Arm-Based Sprint-Intensity Interval Training to Improve Cardiometabolic Health and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Children with mobility disabilities, including those with cerebral palsy, have limited options and limited time to exercise to manage their cardiometabolic health and cardiorespiratory fitness. Regular cardiovascular exercise during childhood is a critical health behavior for preventing health decline in adulthood. Thus, there is an urgent need for accessible, age-appropriate, convenient exercise modalities in this group. Sprint-intensity interval training (SIT), combined with telehealth procedures, may be ideal for children with disabilities. SIT includes repetitive bouts of maximal exercise effort combined with rest periods, which can be effective in eliciting comparable results to moderate-exercise training with very short training durations.

OBJECTIVE

This phase 1 pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the potential effects of a 12-week SIT program on indicators of cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health among children with cerebral palsy. An ancillary aim is to evaluate the feasibility of the program through several process feasibility metrics.

METHODS

This study uses a 2-armed parallel group design. A total of 50 physically inactive children with cerebral palsy (aged 6-17 years) will be randomly allocated into 1 of 2 groups: a 12-week SIT or a waitlist control group that continues habitual activity for 12 weeks. The SIT prescription includes 3 tele-supervised sessions per week with 30 repeated sequences of 4 seconds of maximal arm exercise, with active recovery, warm-up, and cooldown periods (for an approximately 20-minute total session). SIT includes guided videos with child-themed arm routines and music. The exercise sessions will be remotely supervised through a web-based videoconference application and include safety monitoring equipment. Outcomes are measured at pre- and postintervention (weeks 0 and 13, respectively). Health outcome measures include peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak), measured by a graded exercise test; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and blood insulin, hemoglobin A1c, triglycerides, and cholesterol using a finger stick dried blood spot test; blood pressure, using a sphygmomanometer; and body composition (total mass, total lean mass, tissue % lean, and tissue % fat) using dual x-ray absorptiometry. Feasibility will be evaluated by the following metrics: adverse events or problems experienced throughout the intervention related to participant safety; perceived enjoyment; and recruitment, enrollment, and attrition rates.

RESULTS

Recruitment procedures started in November 2023. All data are anticipated to be collected by February 2025. Full trial results are anticipated to be analyzed and submitted for publication by March 2025. Secondary analyses of data will be subsequently published.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial tests an accessible and low-cost exercise program that leverages principles of high-intensity exercise to provide a convenient program for children with physical disabilities. Knowledge obtained from this study will inform the development of a larger trial for improving the cardiometabolic health, cardiorespiratory fitness, and well-being of children with physical disabilities.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05619211; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05619211.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/56499.

Enhancements to a Telewellness Program for People With Physical Disabilities: Mindfulness, Exercise, and Nutrition To Optimize Resilience (MENTOR 2.0)

Introduction

This study evaluated the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) Mindfulness, Exercise, and Nutrition To Optimize Resilience (MENTOR) program for people with physical disabilities.

Methods

This retrospective evaluation of MENTOR 2.0, an 8-week online group health promotion program, was based on improvements from its first implementation (MENTOR 1.0). Baseline and postassessments included the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), NCHPAD Wellness Assessment (NWA), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale. Estimates and corresponding 95% CIs from linear mixed models were provided to compare baseline and postassessment scores and effect sizes using Cohen d.

Results

Among 116 participants (mean age, 53 y; 63% female), postassessment scores increased significantly in the overall NWA and in all 15 NWA domains (effect size, 0.30-0.69). The overall NWA score was 7.59 (95% CI, 5.63-9.56) units higher at postassessment compared with baseline. Scores for GLTEQ health contribution increased significantly among participants with low baseline scores (31.37 [95% CI, 12.97-49.77]) (effect size, 0.50). Mindfulness and resilience scores both showed improvement (0.16 [95% CI, 0.01-0.31]; effect size, 0.15) and (0.72 [95% CI, -0.25 to 1.68]; effect size 0.09), respectively, but only the change in mindfulness was significant.

Conclusion

MENTOR 2.0 advanced the evaluation of this online telewellness program for people with physical disabilities by demonstrating consistent results with MENTOR 1.0. We reported improvements in GLTEQ, especially among those with lower baseline scores; in multiple areas of wellness, including physical, mental, and emotional/spiritual health; and in mindfulness and resilience, although the improvements in these 2 constructs were small.

Increasing Physical Activity in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury With an eHealth-Based Adaptive Exercise Intervention: Protocol for a Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND

Participating in an adequate amount of physical activity to acquire health benefits is challenging for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) due to personal and logistic barriers. Barriers in the built and social environments may include lack of transportation, lack of accessible facilities or programs, and lack of training among fitness personnel. Low self-efficacy, lack of self-regulation skills, and improper outcome expectations are examples of personal barriers. Current approaches to investigating physical activity programs in people with SCI have been limited to traditional "one-size-fits-all" design, which has yielded low adherence rates, high dropout rates, and participants not maintaining physical activity levels at follow-up.

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of this study is to test the feasibility of a tele-exercise program that applies an adaptive intervention design for 30 adults with SCI, targeting increases in adherence to the exercise program and physical activity participation.

METHODS

The Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial for Home-based Exercise and Lifestyle Tele-Health (SMART-HEALTH) is a 12-week, home-based, movement-to-music (M2M) program. The goal of a SMART-designed study is to develop an adaptive intervention that modifies support provisions based on response levels. In SMART-HEALTH, 2 groups of participants will undergo 3-week and 6-week asynchronous M2M interventions in the first phase. Participants who did not achieve the desired adherence rate (≥95% of video watch minutes) will be rerandomized into M2M Live (switch) or individualized behavioral coaching (augmented with the asynchronous M2M program). The study will primarily assess rates of recruitment or enrollment, adherence and retention, timing to identify nonresponders, and scientific outcomes (eg, physical activity and exercise self-efficacy). The study will qualitatively evaluate the acceptability of the study using semistructured interviews among participants who complete the 12-week intervention.

RESULTS

Recruitment procedures started in June 2022. All data are expected to be collected by September 2023. Full trial results are expected to be published by March 2024. Secondary analyses of data will be subsequently published. Results will include exercise adherence rates; changes in self-reported physical activity levels and blood pressure; and changes in secondary conditions including pain, sleep, and fatigue. Thematic analysis of semistructured interviews will include results on participant enjoyment and acceptability of SMART-HEALTH and inform modifications for future delivery of the program.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will strengthen our understanding of the potential benefits of the tele-exercise intervention for people with SCI and build upon adaptive intervention design and its delivery strategies that aim to increase adoption and sustainable exercise behavior. This pilot trial will inform future SMART-designed studies and provide new and innovative strategies for investigating intervention effects on physical activity behavior in the SCI population.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04726891; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04726891.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/47665.

The Effects of Virtual Reality Tele-exergaming on Cardiometabolic Indicators of Health Among Youth With Cerebral Palsy: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Youth with cerebral palsy do not have enjoyable, accessible, and scalable exercise options that can empower them to independently maintain their cardiometabolic health.

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim is to examine the preliminary efficacy of a 12-week home-based virtual reality tele-exergaming intervention on several indicators of cardiometabolic health in youth with cerebral palsy compared to the wait list control. A secondary aim is to describe feasibility metrics, namely, recruitment, retention, and adherence rates; perceived enjoyment; intervention safety; and management issues. The tertiary aim is to generate a theory that reveals critical behavioral mechanisms of adherence to tele-exergaming.

METHODS

In this parallel group design randomized controlled trial, 34 inactive youths with cerebral palsy are randomly allocated to one of two groups: a group that immediately receives 12 weeks of virtual reality exergaming with tele-physical education or a wait list control group that undergoes their habitual activity for 12 weeks. Participants are recruited from a Children's Hospital and community network. At baseline (week 0), week 6, and week 12, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and blood insulin, hemoglobin A_1c, triglycerides, cholesterol, and pressure are measured by the youth and a caregiver at home using a blood spot test kit and blood pressure cuff. They will also self-measure their lung function and body weight using a peak flow meter and bathroom scale, respectively. Collections are supervised by research staff via videoconference. Changes in outcomes are compared between and within groups using exploratory statistical analyses and descriptive statistics. At postintervention or dropout, participants will undergo semistructured interviews to identify behavioral mechanisms that underly participation.

RESULTS

Recruitment procedures started in June 2022. All data are expected to be collected by October 2023. Full trial results are expected to be published by February 2024. Secondary analyses of data will be subsequently published.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial tests an innovative serious exergaming virtual reality program that includes a completely remote enrollment, assessment, and intervention tele-protocol. The knowledge obtained will inform the development of a larger effectiveness trial for improving the health and well-being of youth with cerebral palsy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05336227; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05336227.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/40708.

How do people with physical/mobility disabilities benefit from a telehealth exercise program? A qualitative analysis

People with neurological and physical disabilities (PWD) experience a myriad of secondary and chronic health conditions, thus, reducing their participation and quality of life. A telehealth exercise program could provide a convenient opportunity for improving health in this population. To describe participants' perceived benefits of a telehealth physical activity program among PWD, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 study participants after completing the 24-week program SUPER-HEALTH (Scale-Up Project Evaluating Responsiveness to Home Exercise and Lifestyle TeleHealth). Interview data were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The mean age of the sample was 51 ± 13 years, the primary disability was Multiple Sclerosis, and there were nine men (30%) and 21 (70%) women. Inductive thematic analysis resulted in four themes that include the following: (1) improved health and function, (2) increased activity participation, (3) improved psychosocial health, and (4) optimized performance and benefits. These preliminary findings provided support for the use of a home exercise program and recommendations to improve it to enhance benefits among PWD.

A home-based telehealth Movement-to-Music program can increase physical activity participation among adolescents with cerebral palsy: pilot randomized controlled trial (Preprint)

Background

Adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) who have mobility limitations have almost no access to inexpensive and enjoyable home-based programs that can be disseminated on a large scale to help them independently manage their health through participation in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA).

Objective

The primary aim of this study was to determine the preliminary efficacy of the early adoption phase of an adult Movement-to-Music (M2M) program with behavioral telecoaching for increasing LTPA and activity participation compared with a waitlist control group in adolescents with CP. The secondary aim was to explore the effects of the program on perceived levels of pain and fatigue. The tertiary aim was to qualitatively evaluate the factors that influenced adherence and develop a theory that would inform the development of a more targeted M2M telehealth program for this group.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial piloted a 4-week M2M program with weekly behavioral telecoaching among 58 adolescents with CP who walked or used wheelchairs. The participants were randomized into one of 2 groups: M2M or control, which maintained their daily activities. M2M included videos that participants were asked to complete 3 times each week at home (asynchronous training). Adherence to video minutes was objectively measured using cloud-based analytics. Changes in activity and LTPA participation were measured before and after the intervention using the Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment total domain scores and active physical recreation domain scores, respectively. Perceived pain and fatigue were measured using the National Institutes of Health Neuro-QoL short forms. The changes in scores were compared between the groups using analysis of covariance. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze one-on-one interviews, coaching notes, and feedback surveys.

Results

A total of 58 people were enrolled, of which 49 (84%) completed the primary outcome follow-up assessment. The mean adherence to the prescribed exercise video minutes across all 4 weeks was 68%, starting from 90% in week 1 and gradually declining to 43% in week 4. Mean adherence to coaching calls was 91%. Analysis of covariance revealed a statistically significant difference between the pre- to postchange scores for Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment Active Physical Recreation–Intensity domain scores in favor of the intervention group (F_1,47=8.76; P=.005; effect size=0.17, also known as volume of LTPA). The qualitative findings highlighted 5 critical factors that influenced participants’ adherence to the program: caregiver support, video elements, suitable exercises, music, and behavioral coaching.

Conclusions

This project determined that adolescents with CP responded well to an M2M telehealth program that could enhance their LTPA levels. This paper describes a theory in which adherence to a telehealth LTPA program can be optimized through functional and age-specific modifications for adolescents with CP.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04264390; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04264390

Teleassessments for Enrollment of Adults With Physical or Mobility Disability in a Home-Based Exercise Trial in Response to COVID-19: Usability Study

Background

The Scale-Up Project Evaluating Responsiveness to Home Exercise And Lifestyle Tele-Health (SUPER-HEALTH) initiative is a large randomized controlled study that aims to overcome logistical barriers to exercise via telehealth for people with physical disabilities. However, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment was halted due to limited operations at the testing site, which included no onsite visits that involved participant data collection. In response to the limited operations, a modified data collection protocol was developed for virtual enrollment of study participants.

Objective

This paper presents feasibility data on using teleassessments to enroll people with mobility impairment into a home-based exercise trial.

Methods

The modified protocol replaced onsite enrollment and data collection visits with teleassessments using a computer tablet and testing equipment that was shipped to the participants’ home address prior to the synchronous teleassessments conducted by an exercise physiologist through Zoom. The participants were mailed a teleassessment toolkit that included a digital blood pressure cuff, spirometer, hand dynamometer, mini disc cone, and measuring tape (to complete standardized testing). The teleassessment measures included resting blood pressure and heart rate, forced vital capacity, grip strength, Five Times Sit to Stand, and Timed Up and Go. Feasibility metrics included technological effectiveness, efficiency, and safety. The technological effectiveness of the telehealth assessment was determined by the percentage of sessions completed without technical issues with ≥90% criteria set a priori. Efficiency was measured by a session duration of ≤2 hours. Safety was measured by the number of adverse events related to the teleassessments reported.

Results

Data from 36 participants were included in this feasibility study, and 34 (94%) participants completed all teleassessments without technical issues. For efficiency, the teleassessment sessions were completed in a mean time of 65 minutes and a maximum session length of 110 minutes. There were no adverse events reported to indicate concerns with the safety of teleassessments.

Conclusions

The modified teleassessment protocol, in response to COVID-19 restrictions, may be a feasible process for enrolling adults with mobility impairment into a home exercise trial who otherwise would have not been able to participate.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03024320; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03024320

Virtual Strategies for the Broad Delivery of High Intensity Exercise in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: Ongoing Studies and Considerations for Implementation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a multitude of metabolic co-morbidities that can be managed by exercise. As in the non-injured population, manipulation of exercise intensity likely allows for fruitful optimization of exercise interventions targeting metabolic health in persons with SCI. In this population, interventions employing circuit resistance training (CRT) exhibit significant improvements in outcomes including cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and blood lipids, and recent exploration of high intensity interval training (HIIT) suggests the potential of this strategy to enhance health and fitness. However, the neurological consequences of SCI result in safety considerations and constrain exercise approaches, resulting in the need for specialized exercise practitioners. Furthermore, transportation challenges, inaccessibility of exercise facilities, and other barriers limit the translation of high intensity “real world” exercise strategies. Delivering exercise via online (“virtual”) platforms overcomes certain access barriers while allowing for broad distribution of high intensity exercise despite the limited number of population-specific exercise specialists. In this review, we initially discuss the need for “real world” high intensity exercise strategies in persons with SCI. We then consider the advantages and logistics of using virtual platforms to broadly deliver high intensity exercise in this population. Safety and risk mitigation are considered first followed by identifying strategies and technologies for delivery and monitoring of virtual high intensity exercise. Throughout the review, we discuss approaches from previous and ongoing trials and conclude by giving considerations for future efforts in this area.

Dissemination and implementation research in sports and exercise medicine and sports physical therapy: translating evidence to practice and policy

Knowledge from research evidence is wasted unless it is applied. While the scientific evidence base for many sports and exercise medicine and sports physical therapy interventions is robust, real-world implementation and evolution to scale remains an ongoing challenge. Dissemination and implementation research is important to generate evidence-informed, cost-effective and context-specific strategies for implementation partners and stakeholders to effectively apply and sustain the best research evidence in public health and clinical practice. However, this field of inquiry remains underexplored in sports and exercise medicine and sports physical therapy. Most intervention studies in sports and exercise medicine and sports physical therapy are terminated at the efficacy trial stage without considerations for best practices for translation to community and clinical settings. Lack of context-specific dissemination and implementation strategies to drive the translation of evidence-based interventions results in poor execution of, and attrition from, interventions, and this is associated with suboptimal outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Theory-driven quality research informing the successful dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions is needed to address lingering evidence-to-practice gaps. Dissemination and implementation research completes the final stage in the research-to-practice pipeline. It seeks to close evidence-to-practice gaps, thereby ensuring speedy application of research evidence to achieve desired public health outcomes while making more efficient use of limited resources. This review introduces sports and exercise medicine and sports physical therapy researchers and stakeholders to key concepts and principles in dissemination and implementation research.

Correlates of adherence in a home-based, self-managed exercise program tailored to wheelchair users with spinal cord injury

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional design.

OBJECTIVES

To examine personal factors, secondary health conditions, and environmental factors as potential correlates of adherence to a 12-week home-based exercise trial in people with spinal cord injury.

SETTING

Home METHODS: Participants (n = 28) were prescribed a set of exercise videos that they were asked to complete three times each week for 12 weeks (36 total sessions). The videos were accessible through a custom-designed mobile application and included movements targeting strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and balance that were accompanied with music. Watched video minutes were automatically recorded on the web-based platform. At baseline, participants completed self-report questionnaires that measured personal (e.g., age, self-efficacy) and environmental (e.g., barriers) factors and secondary health conditions (e.g., depression). Data were analyzed using quantile (median) regression analysis.

RESULTS

Race (African American; β = -65.62, p = 0.004), community barriers (β = -9.12, p = 0.026), anxiety (β = -3.84, p = <0.001), depression (β = -1.42, p = 0.038), physical function (β = -1.35, p = 0.048), and self-efficacy (β = -0.61, p = 0.007) were associated with a lower number of exercise video minutes. Pain intensity (β = 2.03, p = 0.032), pain interference (β = 1.84, p = 0.012), and age (β = 1.13, p = 0.013) were associated with a higher number of exercise video minutes. Total variance explained by the model was 77% (pseudo R² = 0.77).

CONCLUSIONS

Factors associated with lower and higher adherence to home-based exercise should guide future research efforts in creating more precision-based approaches for self-managed home exercise.