Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 6 , Pages 1016-1022, June 2008

Influence of Hand Cycling on Physical Capacity in the Rehabilitation of Persons With a Spinal Cord Injury: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

  • Linda J. Valent, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Heliomare Rehabilitation Center, Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to Linda J. Valent, MSc, Rehabilitation Center Heliomare, Relweg 51, Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands 1949 EC
    • ,
  • Annet J. Dallmeijer, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Han Houdijk, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Heliomare Rehabilitation Center, Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands
    • Research Institute MOVE, Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Hans J. Slootman, MD

      Affiliations

    • Heliomare Rehabilitation Center, Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Marcel W. Post, PhD

      Affiliations

    • De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation Center and Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neuroscience, University Medical Hospital Utrecht, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Lucas H. van der Woude, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Research Institute MOVE, Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • Amsterdam Rehabilitation Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Abstract 

Valent LJ, Dallmeijer AJ, Houdijk H, Slootman HJ, Post MW, van der Woude LH. Influence of hand cycling on physical capacity in the rehabilitation of persons with a spinal cord injury: a longitudinal cohort study.

Objective

To investigate the influence of hand cycling on outcome measures of physical capacity during and after rehabilitation in persons with paraplegia and tetraplegia in The Netherlands.

Design

A longitudinal cohort study with measurement moments at the start (t1) and end (t2) of clinical rehabilitation and 1 year after discharge (t3). Hand cycle use was assessed by means of questionnaires at t2 and t3.

Setting

Eight rehabilitation centers in The Netherlands.

Participants

Subjects (N=162) with a recent spinal cord injury.

Interventions

All subjects followed the regular rehabilitation program.

Main Outcome Measures

Peak oxygen uptake (Vo2peak) and peak power output (POpeak) determined in a handrim wheelchair peak exercise test, peak muscle strength of the upper extremities, and pulmonary function.

Results

A significantly larger increment in Vo2peak, POpeak, and elbow extension strength was found in subjects with paraplegia during clinical rehabilitation. No such effect was found in subjects with tetraplegia. In the postrehabilitation period, no influence of hand cycling on any outcome measure was found in subjects with paraplegia or subjects with tetraplegia.

Conclusions

After correction for baseline values and confounders, regular hand cycling (once a week or more) appeared to be beneficial for improving aerobic physical capacity in persons with paraplegia during clinical rehabilitation. The small and heterogeneous study groups may have hampered the finding of positive results of hand cycling in persons with tetraplegia.

Key Words: Physical fitness, Rehabilitation, Spinal cord injuries

 

 Supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Health, Research and Development ZON-MW (grant nos. 014-32-012, 14350003).

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(08)00140-8

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2007.10.034

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 6 , Pages 1016-1022, June 2008

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