| Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in functional impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions that may have long-term consequences on function, fitness, and health. Of interest in this dissertation were the effects of SCI on aerobic capacity, walking, and health-related outcomes, and the potential role for aerobic exercise as a rehabilitation strategy. Specifically, the study aimed to quantify the effects of a six-week aerobic exercise intervention on aerobic capacity, walking outcomes, secondary health conditions (cardiometabolic risk factors, depressive symptomatology, pain, and fatigue), and health-related quality of life in ambulatory individuals with chronic incomplete SCI. The findings suggest that six weeks of guideline driven, moderate-to-vigorous whole-body voluntary aerobic exercise significantly improves aerobic capacity as well as select walking related outcomes. This study builds a foundation for further investigation aimed at the development of exercise-based rehabilitation strategies to target functionally limiting impairments and SHC in ambulatory individuals with chronic SCI. |
