Recovery of arm and hand motor control is critical for independence and quality of life following incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). Blood flow-restricted resistance exercise (BFRE) has emerged as a potential treatment addressing this need, but treatment guidelines and research reporting effectiveness are sparse. The purpose of this work is to provide case reports of people with cervical iSCI who use BFRE supplemented by electrical stimulation (ES) to increase the strength and functional use of selected upper extremity muscles.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
10
Participants will engage in baseline measurement of blood pressure, strength of target muscle contractions, and level of support needed for functional task performance. They will then begin BFRE treatment supplemented by electrical stimulation, if needed, two times weekly. Each exercise session will include performance of four sets of 20 repetitions of target muscle contraction on each side of the body followed by functional task performance.
Quality Living, Inc.
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Change in muscle strength
Change in strength of target muscle(s) contraction as measured in pounds of force using a dynamometer.
Time frame: Baseline and end of treatment at a maximum of 6 months
Change in number of repetitions of unassisted target muscle(s) contractions
Tally of the number of target muscle contractions participant can perform during a single treatment session (80 repetitions max) without BFRE or electrical stimulation assistance.
Time frame: Baseline and end of treatment at a maximum of 6 months
Change in support required to perform functional task
Professional assessment using the 7-point Functional Independence Measure (1 = total assistance; 7 = complete independence) to rate the level of support a participant requires to perform a functional task.
Time frame: Baseline and end of treatment at a maximum of 6 months
Change in perceived exertion when performing a functional task
Participants will use the Borg category-ratio 10 Rating Exertion scale (0 = no exertion; 10 = highest level of effort) to rate the effort they expend to perform a functional task.
Time frame: Baseline and end of treatment at a maximum of 6 months
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