A six-week motor-driven functional electronic stimulation rowing program improves muscle strength and body composition in people with spinal cord injury: a pilot study

Study design: Preclinical and postclinical intervention and outcomes measure design. Objective: To investigate the efficacy of six weeks of motor-driven functional electronic stimulation (FES) rowing exercise intervention on cardiopulmonary fitness, upper body strength and body composition in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Setting: The National Rehabilitation Center in Korea. Methods: A total of 12 people with SCI (ten males, two females) participated in 42.5-minute training sessions on motor-driven FES rowing machine, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Peak oxygen consumption, body mass index, percent body fat, waist circumference, shoulder abduction and adduction, shoulder flexion and extension and elbow flexion and extension were measured at baseline and after the intervention. Results: The six weeks of training with a motor-driven FES rowing machine significantly decreased percent body fat (Pre: 23.9 +/- 8.5 vs Post: 20.4 +/- 7.9, P = 0.028) and increased lean body mass (Pre: 50.4 +/- 9.4 vs Post: 53.3 +/- 10.0, P = 0.001), muscular strength of the shoulder flexors (Pre: 147.5 +/- 68.5 vs Post: 180.9 +/- 71.8, P = 0.002), extensors (Pre: 132.7 +/- 51.8 vs Post: 160.6 +/- 67.9, P = 0.010), abductors (Pre: 126.1 +/- 52.6 vs Post: 163.7 +/- 77.8, P 0.002) and adductors (Pre: 172.3 +/- 69.0 vs Post: 215.2 +/- 95.7, P = 0.003), as well as elbow flexors (Pre: 212.7 +/- 66.6 vs Post: 256.6 +/- 76.1, P = 0.004) and extensors (Pre: 190.6 +/- 65.0 vs Post: 221.9 +/- 63.9, P = 0.002). Conclusions: Exercise using a motor-driven FES rowing machine may be used as a new exercise modality to improve body composition and upper body muscle strength in people with SCI.