A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effects of Cycling With and Without Electrical Stimulation on Cardiorespiratory and Vascular Health in Children With Spinal Cord Injury
Presented to the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society, November 10–14, 2007, Philadelphia, PA; World Confederation for Physical Therapy Congress, June 2–6, 2007, Vancouver, BC; Physical Therapy Combined Sections Meeting, February 14–18, 2007, Boston, MA; and Injury and Dysfunction of the Spinal Cord in Children, November 30–December 2, 2006, Orlando, FL.
Abstract
Johnston TE, Smith BT, Mulcahey MJ, Betz RR, Lauer RT. A randomized controlled trial on the effects of cycling with and without electrical stimulation on cardiorespiratory and vascular health in children with spinal cord injury.
Objective
To examine the cardiorespiratory/vascular effects of cycling with and without functional electrical stimulation (FES) in children with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Design
Randomized controlled trial.
Setting
Pediatric referral hospital.
Participants
Children with SCI (N=30), ages 5 to 13 years, with injury levels from C4 to T11, and American Spinal Injury Association grades A, B, or C.
Interventions
Children were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: FES leg cycling exercise, passive leg cycling, or noncycling control group receiving electrical stimulation therapy. After receiving instruction on the use of the equipment, children exercised for 1 hour 3 times per week for 6 months at home with parental supervision.
Main Outcome Measures
Oxygen uptake (V̇o2) during an incremental arm ergometry test, resting heart rate, forced vital capacity, and a fasting lipid profile.
Results
There were no differences (P>.05) between groups after 6 months of exercise when comparing pre- and postvalues. However, there were differences between groups for some variables when examining percent change. The FES cycling group showed an improvement (P=.035) in V̇o2 (16.2%±25.0%) as compared with the passive cycling group (–28.7%±29.1%). For lipid levels, the electrical stimulation–only group showed declines (P=.032) in cholesterol levels (–17.1%±8.5%) as compared with the FES cycling group (4.4%±20.4%).
Conclusions
Cycling with FES led to gains in V̇o2, whereas electrical stimulation alone led to improvements in cholesterol.
cDepartment of Physical Therapy, Temple University Philadelphia, PA
Reprint requests to Therese E. Johnston, PT, PhD, MBA, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, 600 S 43rd St, Box 39, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Supported by the Shriners Hospitals for Children (grant no. 8540).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.
ABSTRACT