Functional Interval Training for People With Spinal Cord Injury and Their Care Partners

The percentage of interventions sessions attended by participants.

Assessment of aerobic capacity in individuals with spinal cord injury

Participants who are able to stand will complete this assessment of lower extremity strength over three trials.

Muscular strength of the upper extremities will be assessed via 3-trials of hand-held dynamometry of the shoulder flexor, shoulder extensor, elbow flexor and elbow extensor muscle groups as well as grip strength via a dynamometer.

Measures perceived self-efficacy for various types of physical activities for people with spinal cord injury. The scale has a minimum score of 10 and a maximum score of 40. Higher scores indicate greater confidence in planning and carrying out physical activities and/or exercise based on their own volition.

Self report measure for exercise self efficacy completed by care partner participants. The minimum score is 0 and maximum score is 90. A higher score indicates higher self-efficacy for exercise.

Self report measure for social support for exercise from family and friends. The scale has a minimum score of 46 and maximum score of 230. Higher scores indicate greater social support of friends and family for physical activity and exercise behaviors.

Measure of walking speed at both self-selected and fast walking speed for ambulatory participants.

Self-reported measure of health related quality of life for participants who are care partners. The measure assesses eight health concepts through eight subscales (physical functioning, bodily pain, role limitations due to physical health problems, role limitations due to personal or emotional problems, emotional well-being, social functioning, energy/fatigue, and general health perceptions). Scores in each category are averaged and range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life.

Self report measure of quality of life related to Emotional Health (positive affect and well-being, resilience, self-esteem, and stigma) and Social Participation (independence) for people with spinal cord injury.

Self report measure of perceived functional abilities of people with spinal cord injury including self-care, basic mobility, ambulation, manual wheelchair, power wheelchair, and ambulation.

Measure of peak power assessed via a 1-minute skiergometer tests

Physical activity levels will be measured via wrist worn Actigraph GT9X Link. The Actigraph is able to detect acceleration in multiple planes of motion. Through collecting acceleration data, different intensities of physical activity will be inferred (i.e light, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity), with moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity being used as the primary outcome measure. At the four time points, participants will wear the Actigraph for 7 consecutive days. The Actigraph will not need to be removed for activities such as bathing and showering, however the device will be removed for activities such as swimming.

The number and percentage of participants who remain in the study through the final measurement point at 6 months.

Lower extremity strength will be measured via functional test (Five Times Sit to Stand). This test records the amount of time taken to rise and sit to and from a chair five consecutive times. Faster times indicate greater lower extremity strength.

The 6 Minute Walk Test measures a participants ability to cover as much distance (measured in meters) as possible while walking for 6 minutes. Participants will walk along a pre-defined pathway for 6 minutes, resting as needed. The test is a measure of walking endurance with further distances indicating greater endurance.

Participants will rate their perceived level of change on a 15-point Likert Scale ranging from -7 (a very great deal less/worse to +7 (a very great deal more/better) with 0 representing no change. They will use this scale to answer 4 separate questions: 1) amount of physical activity performed in an average week, 2) ability to walk or push leisurely, 3) ability to walk or push fast, 4) ability to walk or push for a long period of time.

Participants report their perceived physical activity levels compared to people their own age using a 5-point Likert Scale ranging from "much more active" to "much less active".

The number of participants recruited will be reported as a percentage of total participants contacted for study participation.