Hybrid Functional Electrical Stimulation Exercise to Prevent Cardiopulmonary Declines in High-level Spinal Cord Injury
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2026-07-31
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Over the past ten years, the Cardiovascular Research Laboratory at Spaulding has refined a
unique form of exercise for those with spinal cord injuries (SCI). Functional Electrical
Stimulation Row Training (FESRT) couples volitional arm and electrically controlled leg
exercise, resulting in the benefits of large muscle mass exercise. However, despite the
potential for enhancing aerobic capacity by training the denervated leg skeletal muscle via
hybrid FES exercise, the inability to increase ventilation beyond limits set by high level
SCI restricts aerobic capacity.
This research study will investigate two potential methods of improving ventilation in those
with high-level SCI through a double-blind randomized trial. One method is non-invasive
ventilation (NIV), which is an external breathing support machine. The second method is the
use of Buspar, a drug, which has been used to treat respiratory dysfunction after SCI in rats
and some human case reports.
In this study, participants will engage in a 6-month FES row training program while receiving
either NIV or shamNIV and Buspar or placebo, and under study tests to evaluate
cardiopulmonary health and fitness.