Slide 1
Exercise and Physical Activity for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries
RRTC on SCI: Promoting Health and Preventing Complications through Exercise
Funded by NIDRR H133B031114

Slide 2
Problems with being a "couch potato"
• Low level of fitness
• Weak Bones (Osteoporosis)
• Depression 
• Chronic pain 
• Abnormal Blood Fats (Atherogenic dyslipidemia)
• Increased Insulin resistance 
• Increased risk for coronary heart disease
• Increased skin breakdown
• Decreased metabolic rate

Slide 3
Benefit of exercise
• More energy
• Stronger muscles
• Greater endurance
• Helps prevent heart disease
• Helps control body weight
• Helps fight depression

Slide 4
What is working during Exercise?
• Muscles (movement of arms and legs)
• Heart
• Lungs
• Autonomic Nervous system (automatic control system for:
- Heart rate 
- Blood pressure
- Sweating

Slide 5
Before Spinal Cord Injury
• Increased activity causes:
- Increase IN heart rate
- Increase IN systolic blood pressure and decreased diastolic blood pressure
- Increase in blood flow to the heart
- Increase volume of air through the lungs
- Increase blood flow to working muscles
- Increase in sweating

Slide 6
After Spinal Cord Injury
• Depends on level and completeness of injury!
- Complete vs incomplete
- Above vs below 6th thoracic level

Slide 7
After Spinal Cord Injury:
A closer look
• Muscles (movement of arms and legs)
• Heart
• Lungs
• Autonomic Nervous system (automatic control system for:
- Heart rate 
- Blood pressure
- Sweating

Slide 8
Types of exercise/activity
• Aerobic Conditioning
• Weight lifting
• Balance activity
• Stretching
• Assisted exercise
- Functional Electrical Stimulation
- Assisted walking

Slide 9
Aerobic Conditioning
• Improves endurance
• Increases and improves blood flow of the heart and muscles being used
• Helps to move air through more parts of the lungs, (helping prevent pneumonia)
• Helps lower blood pressure
• Increases circulating HDL cholesterol, (good Cholesterol)
• Improves body's use of sugar in the blood
• Reduce stress

Slide 10
Weight lifting/Resistive exercise
• Increase strength of muscles and bones
• Improves bodies use of sugar in the blood
• Perform daily task and recreational activities more easily

Slide 11
Stretching
• Helps to prevent injuries
• Improves range of movement to improve performance of daily tasks
• Prevents contractures

Slide 12
Assisted exercise
• Assisted movement
• Functional Electrical Stimulation
• Assisted walking

Slide 13
Now What?
Picture of person laying on coach watching tv with remote control

Slide 14
Getting stated
• Know you resources
• Find something that you enjoy
• Use the buddy system
• Set a realistic goal
• Start slow
• Make it convenient 
• Have fun

Slide 15
Exercise Prescription
• Type (What to do?)
• Frequency (How often?)
• Intensity (How hard?)
• Duration (How long?)

Slide 16
Example
• Joe Couch Potato 
- Has not exercised since spinal cord injury 5 years ago
- Works as a computer programmer
- Father of 2
- Enjoys being outside
- Has a complete spinal cord injury at C7

Slide 17
Things to remember with exercise
• Autonomic Dysreflexia
• Bumps, bruises, blister...
• Pressure reliefs
• Nutrition

Slide 18
Prevention is Key
• Use proper technique with exercise
• Be aware of shoulder problems
• Do NOT over do it
• Pay attention to the weather
• Wear a helmet!!!