Physical Activity Guidelines for People With Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The first evidence-based physical activity guidelines for people with spinal cord injury were released in March, 2011. This project will evaluate the implementation of the new physical activity guidelines in a community exercise setting in Hamilton, Ontario. The investigators hypothesize that persons who follow the guidelines will experience increased aerobic fitness and muscle strength. The investigators also hypothesize that participants will find the guidelines easy to follow and that their self-efficacy for participating in physical activity will be improved following the study period.

Official Title
-----------------
Implementation and Evaluation of the New Physical Activity Guidelines for People With Spinal Cord Injury.

Conditions
-----------------
Spinal Cord Injury

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Physical Activity Guidelines


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: adults with spinal cord injury who have been given clearance to exercise by their primary care physician (or healthcare team) Exclusion Criteria: ventilatory support inability to voluntarily participate in upper body exercises inability to communicate in English ongoing infection unstable autonomic dysreflexia

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Physical Activity Guidelines<br>Participants randomized to this arm received training/guidance on following the physical activity guidelines for adults with spinal cord injury | Behavioral: Physical Activity Guidelines<br>* Participants in the Physical Activity Guidelines Arm will be asked to participate in at least 20 minutes of moderate to heavy intensity aerobic activity 2 times per week as well as strength training exercises (moderate intensity) 2 times per week. The Control Arm will not be supervised to follow the physical activity guidelines<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Physical Fitness | Peak VO2 tests will be done on a cycle ergometer to assess aerobic capacity/endurance, and peak strength will be measured on accessible weight-training equipment. | 4 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Self-efficacy for achieving the physical activity guidelines | Assessed through questionnaire. | 4 months | 
| Adherence to physical activity guidelines | Assessed through enrolment records | 4 months | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
spinal cord injury, physical activity, physical fitness