Ventilation efficiency and pulmonary function after a wheelchair interval-training program in subjects with recent spinal cord injury

Objective: To study the effect of a wheelchair interval-training program on the ventilatory function of subjects with recent spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: Evaluation trial before and after a training program. Setting: Center of reeducation and university hospital. Participants: Six subjects (5 men, 1 woman) hospitalized after a recent SCI. Intervention: On a wheelchair ergometer, subjects with SCI performed 30 minutes of interval training 3 times a week for 6 weeks. The training program was part of their reeducation program. Main Outcome Measures: Spirometric values at rest and dynamic ventilatory responses were studied before and after this training program with a spirometric test, a maximal exercise test that increased by 5W every 2 minutes, and a submaximal test. Results: Spirometric values at rest did not change after training. At maximal exercise, peak ventilation (VEpeak, 7.5%), peak breathing frequency (f peak) (-13.4%), peak tidal volume (VTpeak +28.9%), and the ventilatory reserve (12.9%) improved after training. The oxygen Cost Of VE decreased significantly (-20%) after training. We observed for the wheelchair tests that, at the same workload after training, VE and f decreased and VT increased. Conclusions: After 6 weeks of our interval-training program in subjects with recent SCI, the increase Of VT and the decrease of oxygen Cost Of VE indicated better ventilatory efficiency.