Session Information
Date: Saturday, November 16, 2019
Session Title: Annual Assembly Late Breaking Posters (Non Presentations)
Session Time: 11:15am-12:45pm
Location: Research Hub - Kiosk 8
Disclosures: Raymond C. Chou: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest
Objective: To assess the effects of hybrid-functional electrical stimulation (FES) rowing on motor and sensory recovery in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) within the time window for greatest potential neurologic improvement.
Design: Randomized, controlled study.
Setting: Outpatient rehabilitation network.
Participants: 25 participants greater than 6 months after SCI were randomly assigned to hybrid-FES rowing (n=10) or standard of care (n=15) groups.
Interventions: The hybrid-FES rowing group completed 6 months of rowing scheduled 3 times per week for 26 weeks. The standard of care group either participated in an arms-only exercise program using an upper body ergometer or a waitlist without an explicit exercise program.
Main Outcome Measures: Changes in motor score and changes in combined sensory score using the International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI).
Results: Both groups demonstrated increases in motor and combined sensory scores in participants with complete or incomplete tetraplegia, but no significant differences were noted between intervention groups (P=.56-.98). One-way ANCOVA controlling for the effects of time since injury did not show statistically significant change (P=.20-.28). There was no significant correlation in changes in motor or combined sensory score in the hybrid-FES rowing group with total distance or time rowed (P=.07-.44).
Conclusions: This study is the first to assess the effects of hybrid-FES rowing exercise training on modifying neurologic improvement in individuals with SCI 6-18 months post-injury. No significant effects to neurologic improvement were found with hybrid-FES rowing when compared with standard of care interventions, suggesting earlier studies showing improvement in chronic SCI may have been reversal of detraining. Despite no clear improvements in neurologic gains, this intervention may counteract the effects of detraining and provide increased aerobic demand to help mitigate cardiovascular risk.
Level of Evidence: Level I
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Chou RC, Taylor JA, Solinsky R. Effects of Hybrid-FES Rowing on Neurologic Improvement in Subacute Spinal Cord Injury [abstract]. PM R. 2019; 11(S2)(suppl 2). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-hybrid-fes-rowing-on-neurologic-improvement-in-subacute-spinal-cord-injury/. Accessed November 21, 2024.« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2019
PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-hybrid-fes-rowing-on-neurologic-improvement-in-subacute-spinal-cord-injury/