Effects of trunk muscle activation on trunk stability, arm power, blood pressure and performance in wheelchair rugby players with a spinal cord injury

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2022 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2020.1830249 · Published: July 1, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Orthopedics

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how stimulating trunk muscles affects stability, arm strength, blood pressure, and wheelchair rugby skills in athletes with spinal cord injuries. Electrical stimulation was used to contract trunk muscles, and then reaching distance, arm force, blood pressure, and rugby skills were measured. The results showed that stimulating trunk muscles improved trunk stability and increased blood pressure, but did not significantly improve arm strength or wheelchair rugby skills. Abdominal strapping might have influenced the wheelchair rugby skills outcomes. The study suggests that stimulating trunk muscles could be beneficial for trunk stability and blood pressure in individuals with spinal cord injuries, potentially improving their daily life activities. More research is needed to investigate long-term effects and optimal stimulation methods.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Eleven WR athletes with tetraplegia

Evidence Level

Cross-sectional study

Key Findings

1
Electrical stimulation of trunk muscles significantly increased overall reaching distance, indicating improved trunk stability.
2
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly increased with electrical stimulation.
3
Arm force, arm power, and wheelchair rugby skills did not significantly improve with electrical stimulation.

Research Summary

This study investigated the effects of electrical stimulation (ES)-induced co-contraction of trunk muscles on trunk stability, arm force/power, BP, and WR performance in wheelchair rugby (WR) athletes with tetraplegia. The results showed that ES-induced trunk muscle activation positively affects trunk stability and BP, but not arm force/ power. No effects were found in WR skill performance, probably due to abdominal strapping. The study concludes that ES on trunk muscles has a clear positive effect on different performance measures in athletes with high SCI, and that more longitudinal research is needed to assess different ES (training) protocols and settings.

Practical Implications

Rehabilitation potential

ES could be a promising intervention for improving trunk stability and blood pressure in individuals with SCI, potentially enhancing daily life activities and self-care.

Further Research

Longitudinal studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of ES on trunk muscle function, blood pressure regulation, and overall quality of life in individuals with SCI.

Optimization of ES protocols

Future studies should focus on identifying the optimal ES parameters (frequency, pulse duration, amplitude) and training protocols to maximize trunk stability gains while minimizing muscle fatigue.

Study Limitations

1
Small sample size, which may have reduced the statistical power of the study.
2
The immeasurable effect found in the forward reaching task.
3
The use of abdominal strapping and adjusted wheelchairs may have overshadowed the effect of ES on WR skills.

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