Swim Training Initiated Acutely after Spinal Cord Injury Is Ineffective and Induces Extravasation In and Around the Epicenter

This study investigates the effect of early swim training on recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. The researchers compared the effectiveness of initiating swim training shortly after injury versus waiting two weeks. The results showed that starting swim training too soon after the injury was less effective than starting it later. Early training seemed to compromise rehabilitation efforts. The study also found that early swim training increased leakage of substances into the injured spinal cord tissue, suggesting that it may worsen the secondary injury processes.

• 1
  Acute swim training (initiated 3 days post-SCI) is less effective than training initiated at 2 weeks post-injury in improving swimming ability.
• 2
  Acute swim training increases extravasation of macromolecules (luciferase) into the spinal cord parenchyma, indicating increased BSCB permeability.
• 3
  Even brief swim exercise early after SCI can induce microvascular dysfunction, potentially exacerbating secondary injury.