N/A
N=10
Feasibility of HIIT in Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injuries · Spinal Cord Diseases
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03152110 ↗Enrolled (actual)
10
Serious AEs
20.0%
Results posted
Nov 2020
Primary outcome: Primary: HIIT Times — 10 Intervals
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- HIIT (Other)
- Age
- Adult, Older Adult · 18+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- University of Pittsburgh
- Primary completion
- Aug 2019
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY HIIT Times |
10 | — |
| PRIMARY Power |
5 | .203 |
| PRIMARY Cardiopulmonary Measures |
94.1 | — |
| PRIMARY Cardiopulmonary Measures |
94.1 | — |
| PRIMARY Enjoyment of HIIT |
114.8 | — |
| PRIMARY Acceptability of HIIT |
5 | — |
| PRIMARY Percentage of Participants Completing All Supervised Training Sessions |
85.7 | — |
| SECONDARY Perceived Exertion |
18.8 | — |
| SECONDARY Perceived Exertion (Adapted) |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Feelings During HIIT |
-0.11 | — |
Summary
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is debilitating to an individual's health, functional capacity and quality of life. This contributes to a sedentary lifestyle and an elevated risk for cardiometabolic and hypokinetic diseases. While physical activity is promoted in persons with SCI to reduce incidence of secondary disabling conditions, a majority of individuals are inactive and have low levels of fitness. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a form of exercise characterized by brief, intermittent bouts of intense exercise, separated by periods of lower intensity exercise for recovery. The level of improvements in aerobic exercise capacity following HIIT are similar to moderate-intensity continuous training, but only require a fraction of the total energy and time commitment. Little research has been done on HIIT in persons with SCI, who are unable to carry out conventional lower limb HIIT exercises. An upper extremity form of HIIT that is effective, safe, and quick could be an attractive option for these individuals. The study will look at feasibility and acceptability of a 6-week HIIT program for persons with a spinal cord injury who are untrained.
Investigators will test 10 untrained individuals with SCI/D who use a manual wheelchair full time. Prior to any testing, participants will be screened and will need to obtain a signed medical release from their physician. The screening involves asking the participant the inclusion/exclusion criteria and administering two short questionnaires related to physical activity. After obtaining the release form, participants will be scheduled for their first visit. During Visit 1, baseline testing and questionnaires will be completed. The study questionnaires will address sociodemographics, pain and health measures, general health, and physical activity. Exercise testing includes an aerobic exercise stress test (conducted following American College of Sports Medicine guidelines using an electronic ergometer) and an anaerobic (maximum power output) test. After Visit 1, participants will exercise three times per week for six weeks, following a standard HIIT protocol. Two of those sessions will be supervised by a trainer, and one session will be completed on their own. After six weeks, participants will be scheduled for Visit 2 and will complete the same evaluations as Visit 1. Additionally, participants will complete evaluations on their level of satisfaction of the training program and their likelihood to continue.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- SCI/D which occurred at least 6 months prior to the start of the study
- uses a manual wheelchair as primary means of mobility (30+ hours per week)
- is between 18 and 65 years of age
- Weighs less than 250lbs
- lives within one hour driving time from the research center
- is able to perform a transfer independently to and from a wheelchair
- has adequate strength and upper extremity function to operate a handcycle or arm ergometer
- has adequate space in a safe location (i.e., home, work) to accommodate a handcycle or tabletop ergometer
- Receipt of a signed physicians medical release form
Exclusion Criteria
- History of fractures or dislocations in the upper extremity from which the participant has not fully recovered
- Upper limb pain or injury that interferes with the ability to perform aerobic exercise
- No current or recent (last 6 months) participation in a structured fitness program
- Recent hospitalization for any reason (within the past three months)
- Pregnant women
- History of coronary artery disease, coronary bypass surgery or other cardiorespiratory events or conditions
- Likely to experience clinically significant autonomic dysreflexia and/ or orthostatic hypotension in response to vigorous exercise
- Any other conditions that the persons primary care physician deems is a contraindication to participation in arm ergometry exercise stress testing or vigorous exercise
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03152110). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.