Study design: Two studies were conducted: Study-1 was cross-sectional; and Study-2 a longitudinal repeated measures design. Objectives: To examine the influence of functional electrical stimulation (FES) rowing training on cardiac structure and function in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Setting: A university sports science department and home-based FES-training. Methods: Fourteen participants with C4-T10 SCI (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A or B) were recruited for the studies. Cardiac structure and function, and peak: oxygen uptake ([Vdot ]O 2peak), power output (PO peak) and heart rate (HR peak), were compared between two FES-untrained groups (male n=3, female n=3) and an FES-trained group (male n=3) in Study-1 and longitudinally assessed in an FES-naive group (male n=1, female n=4) in Study-2. Main outcome measures left ventricular - dimensions, volumes, mass, diastolic and systolic function, and [Vdot ]O 2peak, PO peak and HR peak. In Study-2, in addition to peak values, the [Vdot ]O 2 sustainable over 30 min and the related PO and HR were also assessed. Results: Sedentary participants with chronic SCI had cardiac structure and function at the lower limits of non-SCI normal ranges. Individuals with chronic SCI who habitually FES-row have cardiac structure and function that more closely resemble non-SCI populations. A programme of FES-rowing training improved cardiac structure and function in previously FES-naive people. Conclusion: FES-rowing training appears to be an effective stimulus for positive cardiac remodelling in people with SCI. Further work, with greater participant numbers, should investigate the impact of FES-rowing training on cardiac health in SCI.Sponsorship:We thank the INSPIRE Foundation, UK, for funding these studies.
Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.
CITATION STYLE
Gibbons, R. S., Stock, C. G., Andrews, B. J., Gall, A., & Shave, R. E. (2016). The effect of FES-rowing training on cardiac structure and function: Pilot studies in people with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord, 54(10), 822–829. https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2015.228