Comparison of cardiac autonomic modulation of athletes and non-athletes individuals with spinal cord injury at rest and during a non-immersive virtual reality task

Cross-sectional study. To compare cardiac autonomic modulation of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) that practice different amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity (PA) and able-bodied controls at rest and during a non-immersive Virtual Reality task. Athletes with SCI of wheelchair...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Spinal cord 2021-12, Vol.59 (12), p.1294-1300
Main Authors: Dias, Eduardo Dati, de Menezes, Lilian Del Ciello, da Silva, Talita Dias, da Silva, Nadja Moreira, Vidal, Pâmela Reis, Brondane, Bruno Renan, Padula, Natalia, Gaspar, Roberta Caveiro, Santos, Sileno, Auricchio, José Ricardo, de Mello Monteiro, Carlos Bandeira, Domingo, Antoinette, de Oliveira, Camila Quel, de Macedo, Jacqueline Carla, Romanholo, Beatriz Mangueira Saraiva, Barnabé, Viviani
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Athletes
Autonomic Nervous System
Brazil
Computer applications
Cross-Sectional Studies
Heart rate
Humans
Immersive virtual reality
Middle Aged
Modulation
Parasympathetic nervous system
Physical activity
Physical training
Position measurement
Sitting position
Spinal cord injuries
Spinal Cord Injuries - complications
Swimming
Virtual Reality
Wheelchairs
Young Adult
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Summary:Cross-sectional study. To compare cardiac autonomic modulation of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) that practice different amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity (PA) and able-bodied controls at rest and during a non-immersive Virtual Reality task. Athletes with SCI of wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair handball, WCMX (wheelchair motocross), and para-swimming were assessed at the Faca na Cadeira Institute, ICEL and Clube Espéria in São Paulo, Brazil; non-athletes with SCI and able-bodied controls were assessed at the Acreditando Centro de Recuperação Neuromotora, São Paulo, Brazil. One-hundred forty-five individuals were assessed: 36 athletes with traumatic SCI (41.1 ± 16.8 years old), 52 non-athletes with traumatic SCI (40.2 ± 14.1 years old), and 57 able-bodied individuals (39.4 ± 12.5 years old). Cardiac autonomic modulation was assessed through heart rate variability (HRV) measured in the sitting position at rest and during a VR game activity. We found significantly more favourable HRV for athletes with SCI when compared to non-athletes with SCI, but no differences between athletes with SCI and able-bodied controls. In addition, athletes and able-bodied controls showed adequate autonomic nervous system (ANS) adaptation (rest versus physical activity in VR), i.e., they experienced parasympathetic withdrawal during VR physical activity, which was not found in non-athletes with SCI. The practice of moderate to vigorous physical activity is associated with healthier cardiac autonomic modulation in adults with SCI, which may lead to more favourable health outcomes. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04618003, retrospectively registered.
ISSN:1362-4393
1476-5624
DOI:10.1038/s41393-021-00722-5