Spinal Cord Injury Program in Exercise

RERC on Technologies to Promote Exercise and Health Among People With Disabilities (A Scale Up Study Evaluating a Movement-to-Music Teleexercise Platform for Reaching a National Cohort of People With Spinal Cord Injury)

The purpose of this study is to examine two 8-week, remotely delivered exercise interventions: Movement-to-Music (M2M) and Standard Exercise Training (SET), with 327 adults with spinal cord injury. Enrolled participants will be randomized into one of three groups: a) M2M, b) SET, and c) attention control (AC).

The purpose of the Spinal Cord Injury Program in Exercise (SCIPE) study is to examine two 8-week, remotely delivered exercise interventions: Movement-to-Music (M2M) and Standard Exercise Training (SET), with 327 adults with SCI. The primary aim is to examine change in physical activity level after the 8-week M2M and SET interventions. We hypothesize that participants in M2M and SET will have significant increase in physical activity compared to an Attention Control (AC) group after the 8-week intervention. The secondary aim is to examine effects of the M2M and SET interventions on health and quality of life outcomes. We hypothesize that participants in M2M and SET will have significant increases in sleep quality and quality of life and decreases in pain and fatigue compared to AC after the 8-week intervention. Exercise enjoyment in M2M and SET participants will also be explored. The tertiary aim is to evaluate the demographic (age, race, sex), clinical (level of injury, type of injury), and psychosocial (social support, outcome expectations, self-efficacy, self-regulation) variables of two participant groups: 1) compliant participants who completed ≥ 50% of the intervention, and 2) noncompliant participants who completed post-testing but < 50% of the intervention or who did not complete post-testing.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosed with a SCI resulting in incomplete or complete (C5 and below) paraplegia or tetraplegia;
2. Demonstrate readiness to physical activity by completing the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+);
3. Obtain medical clearance if required by PAR-Q+;
4. Converse in and read English.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. No broadband internet access;
2. Significant visual impairment that prevents seeing a computer screen to follow a home exercise program;
3. Currently pregnant.