The Effects of an Acute High-intensity Exercise on Heart and Brain Function in People With Spinal Cord Injury

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosed with a traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury and have ≥4/5 strength in at least one cervical 5 myotome (elbow flexors), allowing to utilize the arm ergometer and level of injury at or above the 6th thoracic vertebra 2. Classified as A, B, C, D (motor and sensory complete or incomplete) on the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) 3. Longer than 6 months post the onset of injury and have been discharged to the community from inpatient rehabilitation prior to enrollment 4. English is the first language 5. At least one of the cerebral arteries (i.e., middle cerebral artery and/or posterior cerebral artery) can be found via transcranial Doppler Exclusion Criteria: 1. Medical conditions that preclude exercise, such as unstable angina, uncontrolled arrhythmias, a recent history of congestive heart failure that has not been evaluated and effectively treated, severe valvular disease, uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., resting systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 105 mmHg) 2. Moderate-severe traumatic brain injury 3. Diabetes 4. Color blindness 5. Pre-existing shoulder injuries 6. Pregnancy