Feasibility of Telephone Counseling to Increase Physical Fitness in SCI
Spinal Cord Injury
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Spinal Cord Injury focused on measuring physical activity, physical fitness, exercise program, telephone coaching, motivational counseling, stretching, fitness improvement, exercise coaching, toning, SCI, spinal cord injury, home-based, home exercise
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- English as primary language.
- History of traumatic SCI (C6 or below/ ASIA A-D) and uses a manual wheelchair at least 50% of the time.
- Injured at least one year prior to enrollment.
- Reports less than 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Presence of two or more cardiometabolic risk factors:
- Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 21.
- Fasting high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) greater than or equal to 40 mg/dL.
- Fasting triglycerides less than or equal to 150 mg/dL.
- Fasting glucose greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL.
- Blood pressure of 120-139 (systolic) / 80-89 (diastolic).
- Physician approval to initiate physical activity program.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 40.
- Medically diagnosed ischemic heart disease; unstable angina, dysrhythmia or unstable autonomic dysreflexia; recent osteoporotic fracture, tracheostomy.
- Medically diagnosed hyperlipidemia: on lipid lowering medication or detected during baseline lipid panel.
- Medically diagnosed hypertension: on antihypertensive medication or hyertension detected during secondary screening/baseline exam.
- Engaged in a structured exercise program within 6 month of enrollment.
- Engaged in a structured diet program.
- Presence of conditions that would preclude participation in home-physical activity program such as: pressure ulcer, current substance dependence, psychosis, severe chronic upper extremity pain, surgery pending within 6 months, current infection or illness requiring hospitalization, or participation in another research study.
- Electrocardiographic abnormalities detected during any exercise test: 2o or 3o AV block, pre-excitation arrhythmia, hemi-blocks, S-T segment depression (horizontal, down sloping, or up sloping) diagnostic of myocardial ischemia, or other restrictions (ACSM Guidelines 7th Edition).
- Current use of the following medications: Lipid lowering agents (e.g., statins, fibric acid derivatives, niacins, bile-acid sequestrates, or cholesterol uptake blockers), antihyperglycemics (biguanides, sulfonyureas, incretins, TZDs), herbal medicines and hyper-vitamins having antilipemic or antihyperglycemic properties, antihypertensives (Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors, thiazides, or loop diuretics), and estrogen replacement therapy.
- Anticipated reasons subjects may be discharged from the trial and/or referred for medical therapy (if indicated): At the 6 month assessment subject laboratory values indicate they require medical treatment for diabetes, hyperlipidemia or hypertension; pregnancy; pressure ulcer that affects the safety of performing physical activity. NCEP ATP Guidelines will serve as the criterion for need for lipid intervention, ADA guidelines for diabetes, and JNC VII Guidelines for Hypertension
Sites / Locations
- Harborview Medical Center
- University of Washington Medical Center
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
No Intervention
Physical Activity Counseling
Usual Care
Participants who are randomized to the physical activity counseling intervention group will work with a physical activity coach over the course of 6 months to come up with a physical activity program that works for each individual. Participants will have 16 phone calls and discuss goals and values, track physical activity, troubleshoot barriers, and work on keeping exercise interesting and motivating. Participants will also learn strategies for managing stress and battling unhelpful thoughts that may get in the way of activity. By the end of the intervention, the goal is to be regularly doing 150 minutes of physical activity each week. The physical activity coach will work with participants to ensure that they are increasing activity safely in order to prevent injuries.
Participants randomized to the usual care control group will receive a packet of exercise related-information at the end of the baseline assessment as well as a letter from study staff informing them of their randomization status and their test results. The letter will provide information on biological markers that are in the at-risk range, advice to seek medical advice regarding lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise and information on how to contact study staff regarding test results. We will offer to forward test results to their health care provider provided they furnish written release of information We will emphasize our interest in providing them with a follow-up assessment in 6 months.