Arm crank ergometry improves cardiovascular disease risk factors and community mobility independent of body composition in high motor complete spinal cord injury

This study looked at how arm exercises (arm crank ergometry or ACE) affect people with spinal cord injuries, specifically focusing on heart health, mobility, and body composition. The research showed that doing ACE exercises for ten weeks improved heart fitness, wheelchair mobility, and certain metabolic markers, all without significant changes to body composition. This suggests that ACE is a helpful way to reduce heart disease risks and enhance fitness and mobility in people with spinal cord injuries, regardless of changes in body composition.

• 1
  Aerobic fitness significantly improved after the ACE intervention, as indicated by increased resting VO2, relative VO2Peak, absolute VO2Peak, and peak power.
• 2
  Community mobility, measured by the 12-minute wheelchair propulsion test, significantly increased following the exercise intervention.
• 3
  Metabolic profiles, including fasting insulin, fasting G:I ratio, HOMA-%S, and HOMA-IR, significantly improved from baseline after the ACE intervention.