Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32043944›Full record

SynthesisThe journal of spinal cord medicine2021

Does aerobic exercise benefit persons with tetraplegia from spinal cord injury? A systematic review.

Stephen F Figoni, David R Dolbow, Edwin C Crawford, Margaret L White, Sambit Pattanaik

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The journal of spinal cord medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07648173 (The Effects of a Hybrid HIIT-FES Cycling Program on Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury to Improve Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health), which is not on this map. Cited by 14 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07648173 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

The Effects of a Hybrid HIIT-FES Cycling Program on Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury to Improve Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health

TypeinterventionalSponsorWilliam Carey UniversityRan2026 to 2027Enrolled12ConditionsSpinal Cord InjuriesArmsMuscle strengthening exercise followed by Hybrid FES cycling Exercise, Active ROM exercise with arms and Passive ROM exercise with legs
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

14 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Stephen F FigoniSpinal Cord Injury/Disorders Healthcare Group (128), Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, Long Beach, California, USA.
David R DolbowPhysical Therapy Program, William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA.
Edwin C CrawfordPhysical Therapy Program, William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA.
Margaret L WhitePhysical Therapy Program, William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA.
Sambit PattanaikCollege of Osteopathic Medicine, William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA.
William Carey University · USTibor Rubin VA Medical Center · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextThis review synthesizes the findings of previous research studies on the cardiovascular and metabolic benefits of aerobic exercise for individuals with tetraplegia secondary to spinal cord injury. They are often less active due to muscular paralysis, sensory loss, and sympathetic nervous system dysfunction that result from injury. Consequently, these persons are at higher risk for exercise intolerance and secondary health conditions.

objectiveTo evaluate the evidence concerning efficacy of aerobic exercise training for improving health and exercise performance in persons with tetraplegia from cervical injury.

methodsThe search engines PubMed and Google Scholar were used to locate published research. The final 75 papers were selected on the basis of inclusion criteria. The studies were then rank-ordered using Physiotherapy Evidence Database.

resultsStudies combining individuals with tetraplegia and paraplegia show that voluntary arm-crank training can increase mean peak power output by 33%. Functional electrical stimulation leg cycling was shown to induce higher peak cardiac output and stroke volume than arm-crank exercise. A range of peak oxygen uptake (VO

conclusionEvidence gathered from this systematic review of literature is inconclusive due to the lack of research focusing on those with tetraplegia. Higher power studies (level 1-3) are needed with the focus on those with tetraplegia.

Indexed as

Spinal Cord InjuriesExerciseExercise TestExercise TherapyHumansOxygen ConsumptionQuadriplegiaExercise therapyRehabilitationSpinal cord injuriesTetraplegia

Identifiers

PMID32043944
PMCPMC8477928
OpenAlexW3005644420

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.