Regenerative effects of sports on spinal injury patients’ rehabilitation

Suffering a spinal injury of any extent is clearly going to be life changing for anyone. The impact of a spinal injury is felt by the patient but also those around them including family and friends in providing the necessary support to aid recovery and independence.

People with spinal cord injuries are more likely than the general population to have health problems related to weight gain, changes in cholesterol and high blood sugar as well as being at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Not being active is likely the main cause of these problems . There is therefore even more importance for spinal cord patients to undertake sports and regular physical activity to improve their health overall. 

Research and Studies

Research has been carried out over several years into the regenerative effects of sports on spinal injury patient’s rehabilitation. 

The government carried out an overview of a total of 211 studies in the effects of aerobic fitness and muscle strength training after spinal cord injury and found that whilst some of the result from studies were inconclusive or inconsistent, that overall the evidence suggests that 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity training twice a week for 6 weeks may improve fitness. They also found that three sets of 8-10 repetitions of resistance training of moderate to vigorous intensity twice a week for 6 weeks may improve muscle strength . 

Several studies have found that exercise reduces expression on inflammatory markers after spinal cord injury although how this happens is not yet know. Exercise is proven to be effective in the amelioration of neuropathic pain.

Beyond the physical regenerative effects, the studies found that patients who engaged in regular sports as part of their rehabilitation progressed to living a more enriching life, felt more independence and confidence, a sense of community as well as reshaping their views of a spinal cord injury, breaking the stereotypes. Sport therefore clearly has incredibly positive mental regenerative benefits on patients’ with spinal cord injuries. 

Summary

We expect these studies to have an impact in how spinal cord injury patients’ rehabilitation is structured and whilst it may have its own challenges, and as with any rehabilitation, may be more beneficial to some than others, that this could be priceless in improving outcomes for patients with these types of injuries. 

WheelPower

Clyde & Co’s Stoke Mandeville Experience Day, in aid of WheelPower, promoted how sport has tremendous physical, psychological and social benefits for spinal cord injury patients’. WheelPower provides and promotes opportunities for thousands with disabilities to participate in recreational and competitive wheelchair sport and improve their quality of life. 

Thanks to WheelPower’s work, more disabled people are playing sport today than there were last year, but there is still much work to do to ensure that all disabled people have the opportunity to access sport or physical activity in their local community.

Click here to donate to WheelPower 

Data Sources

[1] Exercise after Spinal Cord Injury | MSKTC

[2] Overview of Systematic Reviews of Aerobic Fitness and Muscle Strength Training after Spinal Cord Injury - PubMed (nih.gov)