A blow darts program for adults with spinal cord injuries: Feasibility and effects on respiratory function

Objectives. - The present research has a double fold objective. Firstly, it aims at determining whether incorporating blow darts as part of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) is feasible and safe. One secondary objective is to provide information regarding its effects on their respiratory function. Equipment and methods. - Fifteen people (ASIA Impairment Scale A-D) were assigned either to a blow darts group (intervention group [IG], n = 8, 44.3 +/- 8.0 years), or to a non-blow darts group (control group [CG], n = 7, 48.4 +/- 7.2 years). The IG completed a blow darts program based on the performance of 3 to 4 one-hour weekly sessions for 17 weeks, as part of their rehabilitation. The CG continued to receive the usual care. Feasibility of the program was recorded. Participants also performed spirometry to determine volumes and pulmonary flows and respiratory muscle strength tests to assess their maximum static mouth pressures. Results. - Recruitment and completion rate for the IG were both 100%, whereas adherence to the program stood at 62.5%. After completing the program, neither group experienced significant changes in the variables assessed. However, the IG showed evidence for a possibly beneficial effect in peak expiratory flow (PEF) and maximal inspiratory pressures (MIP), with a large effect size (eta p2 = 0.377 and 0.199, respectively). Conclusions. - A 17-week blow darts program was a feasible rehabilitation approach in a group of SCI individuals. Further studies with greater statistical power are recommended to determine its impact on respiratory parameters. (c) 2023 L'Auteur(s). Publie par Elsevier Masson SAS. Cet article est publie en Open Access sous licence CC BY-NC-ND (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).