Project 439859

Many individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) use a wheelchair as their primary mode of locomotion. The prolonged inactive sitting time associated with this mode of locomotion contributes to the development or worsening of numerous adverse health effects. To counter this vicious circle, engaging in a walking program with a wearable robotic exoskeleton (WRE) is a promising physical activity intervention. In fact, walking with a WRE promotes, among other things, lower limb weight-bearing and mobility while engaging the trunk and upper limb muscles and the cardiorespiratory system. Our novel pilot project allowed us to measure beneficial effects on bones, muscle and body fat after participation in the program, in addition to physical, physiological, and psychological benefits reported. This project aims to strengthen this evidence by measuring the effects of an overground walking program with a WRE on cardiorespiratory health, body composition and wheelchair functional capacity. Wheelchair users with a chronic SCI (>18 months) will enroll in a 16-week overground walking program with a WRE. They will complete 1-to-3 training sessions/week supervised by a physiotherapist. Data will be collected 1 month preceding and immediately before and after the intervention, as well as 2 months after the program. Clinical and laboratory assessments, as well as questionnaires, will be completed. Interviews will be conducted to measure participant satisfaction and perspectives at the end of the program. The new knowledge will inform the development of novel community-based and home-based adapted physical activity programs and may facilitate the prescription and uptake of WRE by wheelchair users with a chronic SCI.