Evaluate the feasibility of a supervised home exercise program for people with chronic spinal cord injuries. This is the goal of a new and innovative study published in the scientific journal Bmj Open sport & exercise medicine. The project, which will begin in September, is the result of a significant collaboration between the Montecatone institute, the Ircss of Neurological Sciences of Bologna and the University of the Emilian capital (Department of Sciences for the quality of life).
The initiative, which will involve chronic patients no longer undergoing rehabilitation treatments, aims to explore new strategies to improve the quality of life and functionality of those living with a chronic spinal cord injury. Participants (three groups of five people each) will be involved in a three-month online home exercise program, structured in one-hour sessions, carried out twice a week, with remote supervision. “Many people with chronic spinal cord injury live in rural communities or other geographically isolated areas, where access to fitness facilities or outdoor recreation areas requires long and often costly travel,” explains Laura Simoncini, director of the Montecatone Spinal Unit. “As a result, exercise remains an underutilized intervention to improve health and function despite its proven effects in reducing pain, fatigue, risk of falls, and other secondary health conditions. We will focus primarily on adherence to the exercise program, while secondary outcomes will include assessments of quality of life, functional capacity, musculoskeletal health, and specific clinical parameters.”
The aim of the project is to overcome traditional barriers to access to physical exercise for people with chronic spinal cord injury, particularly those who live in geographically isolated areas or who have difficulty reaching specialized facilities.
“The study could have important implications for defining the best context and the most effective strategies to ensure adherence to physical activity – concludes Simoncini –, thus improving the well-being and autonomy of patients”.
Those who wish to enlist can do so by consulting the Montecatone website. Together with Simoncini, the project was supported by Ilaria Baroncini, Francesca Serafino and Lucia Ricci for the Imola institute; by Laura Bragonzoni and Erika Pinelli for UniBo (Department of Sciences for the Quality of Life) and Paola Rucci for the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences; and by Giada Lullini for the Irccs of Neurological Sciences in Bologna.