A Feasibility Study of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to Reduce Cardiometabolic Disease Risks in Individuals with Acute Spinal Cord Injury

There are an estimated 40,000 individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) in the United Kingdom. With recent improvements in technology and medical and rehabilitative care, individuals with SCI are now living 30-40 years post injury. Consequently, individuals ageing with SCI experience an accelerated trajectory of diseases and disorders that resemble those experienced with ageing alone. In view of the high prevalence, health consequences and costs associated with these disorders in individuals with SCI, a greater emphasis needs to be placedon identifying effective therapeutic interventions.Currently, an effective, evidence-based approach toward managing this problem does not exist. Research question Is it feasible to conduct a randomised, controlled trial of an early exercise intervention in individuals with SCI to improve physiological health? Aims and Objectives To determine the feasibility of undertaking a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of early intervention upper-body high intensity interval training (HIIT) in individuals with acute SCI with regards to: 1) recruitment rate, 2) retention and adherence, 3) acceptability of the intervention, and 4) data collection and analysis. Methods We will conduct a single-centre, two parallel-arm, randomised feasibility study of an exercise intervention in individuals with acute SCI (