Effects of Arm-Crank Exercise on Fitness and Health in Adults With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review

Frontiers in Physiology, 2022 · DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.831372 · Published: March 17, 2022

Simple Explanation

This review looked at the effects of arm-crank exercise (ACE) on fitness and health in adults with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). ACE is a common aerobic exercise for people with SCI outside of hospitals. The review found that ACE can improve cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with chronic SCI. However, there wasn't enough evidence to say if ACE improves body composition, cardiovascular disease risk factors, motor function, or quality of life. The review suggests that adults with chronic SCI should do ACE regularly to improve their cardiorespiratory fitness. More research is needed to understand the effects of ACE on other health outcomes.

Study Duration

2-16 weeks

Participants

235 adults with chronic SCI (C4 to L3)

Evidence Level

Systematic Review

Key Findings

1
Arm-crank exercise (ACE) is effective in improving cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with chronic SCI.
2
ACE appears to be a safe exercise modality for adults with SCI.
3
There is insufficient evidence to recommend ACE for altering body composition, CVD risk factors, motor function, or health-related QoL in adults with chronic SCI.

Research Summary

This review shows consistent ﬁndings that ACE is eﬀective in improving cardiorespiratory ﬁtness in adults with chronic SCI. The review also shows that overall ACE is a safe exercise modality for adults with SCI. More high-quality, RCT studies are needed to draw conclusions on the eﬀects of ACE on body composition, CVD risk factors, motor function, and health-related QoL.

Practical Implications

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Improvement

Regular ACE can be recommended to adults with chronic SCI to improve their cardiorespiratory fitness.

Exercise Prescription Guidelines

Moderate-to-vigorous arm-crank exercise for 30–40 minutes per session, three times per week can be suggested to promote cardiorespiratory fitness.

Future Research Directions

More high-quality research is needed to determine the effects of ACE on body composition, cardiovascular risk factors, and motor function.

Study Limitations

1
The majority of included studies were pre-post designs, with only 4 RCTs.
2
Most papers do not diﬀerentiate the eﬀects of ACE by level of injury.
3
High dropout rates in some studies due to barriers to exercise and secondary health complications.

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