Health promotion and cardiovascular risk reduction in people with spinal cord injury: physical activity, healthy diet and maintenance after discharge—protocol for a prospective national cohort study and a preintervention- postintervention study

This study aims to improve cardiovascular health in people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) by focusing on physical activity and diet. It will implement guidelines for managing heart-related risks after SCI through education during rehabilitation. The study will compare a new approach of patient education on cardiovascular risks, physical activity, and diet with a historical control group. The interventions will be integrated into usual care during the project period, and all newly injured patients will receive all multimodal components as appropriate to individual circumstances, such as level of injury.

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  The study investigates the impact of educational and behavioral interventions on physical activity and diet in a subacute clinical rehabilitation setting for SCI patients.
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  The research includes test-retest reliability assessments of VO2peak testing and a multisensor accelerometer to measure physical activity accurately.
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  The study utilizes a patient user panel to gather insights on health promotion practices, ensuring the intervention aligns with patient needs and preferences.