Effects of electrical stimulation and upper body training after spinal cord injury

The purpose of this study was to measure the cardiorespiratory improvements during the initial weeks of training in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Eight adult volunteers (ages 23-41) with paraplegia (T4-L1, N = 7) and low levels of quadriplegia (C7, N = 1) participated in a 12-wk training program consisting of 6 wk of computerized functional electrical stimulation leg ergometry (CFES LE) followed by 6 wk of combined arm ergometry and CFES LE (hybrid ergometry; HE). Measures of peak oxygen consumption (pV02) and immediate post-exercise blood lactate (La-) were collected during an intermittent CFES LE graded exercise test (3-min stages; 1/8-kp increments) prior to training (0T), following 6 wk of CFES LE training (6T) and following 6 wk of HE training (12T). Voluntary arm ergometry (AE) graded exercise tests were also completed at each of 0T, 6T, and 12T, and an intermittent graded HE test was also given at 6T and 12T. Following the 6 wk of CFES LE, AE pVO2 increased from 1.14 ± 0.09 1•min-1 to 1.39 ±0.172 1•min-1 (P -1 to 0.83 ± 0.06 1 • min-1 (P -1 to 1.49 ± 0.14 1•min-1 (P < 0.05). HE pVO2 was 58%-60% higher than CFES LE pVO2 at the mid- and post-testing periods. HE pVO2 was 14% higher than AE pVO2 at the post-testing period. There were no significant differences in measures of blood La- over time or between the types of tests. The results indicate that for individuals with SCI, HE provides a greater cardiorespiratory stress than either CFES LE or AE alone, and that peripheral neuromuscular improvement occurred in response to repeated exposure to CFES LE.