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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06546891

Using an Adaptive Rower for People Using Motorized Wheelchairs

The goal of this clinical trial are to determine the feasibility and impact of an adaptive rower exercise intervention for adults who use motorized wheelchairs for mobility.

The main question[s] it aims to answer are:

1. What is the impact on participant's cardiovascular endurance, and perception of mobility and quality of life? 2. Is the intervention feasible, acceptable and safe?

examine feasibility of the adaptive rower intervention through measures of acceptability, adherence, intensity and safety for adults who use motorized wheelchairs for mobility.

Participants will complete 12 sessions of 10-20 minutes of supervised and coached moderate to vigorous activity using the adaptive rower over a seven week period. Participants will complete pre- and post- outcome assessments of cardiovascular fitness, and outcome surveys,

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Key information

Conditions

People Who Use Motorized Wheelchairs for Mobility Behavior Motor Activity

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Public Health Research Center, Columbia, South Carolina, United States

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About this study

A rolling prospective clinical trial with a target population of 10 participants in the Columbia, South Carolina area will evaluate the impact of the adaptive rower on cardiovascular fitness, participant perception and feasibility for people who use motorized wheelchairs.

Participants will be screened for inclusion/exclusion criteria, perform initial outcome measures and instructions on rowing in the first visit, and then have 12 exercise sessions over 6 or 7 weeks, followed by a final visit for final outcome measures. All research will occur at the University of South Carolina Rehab Lab in the public health research center building.

Over the 6-7 week intervention period, participants will exercise approximately two times per week, with two additional visits available in week 7 for any missed sessions to fulfill the 12-visit dosage. Session data will include measures of heart rate, 0-10 Borg rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and power output (rower output in watts). The session goal is to maintain moderate-vigorous intensities (5-8 on the Borg RPE scale) with individually modifiable intervals of work and rest with the goal of 10-20 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity total per session depending on the individual's initial fitness levels (as judged by self-reported activity level and performance on the initial six-minute arm test) and progressed as able. After completing the intervention period, participants will return for final evaluation.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Use a motorized wheelchair for mobility
  • Able to perform a rowing motion with upper extremities with or without grip aids

Exclusion criteria

  • Existing pressure sores
  • Increasing pain with rowing motion
  • Unstable angina
  • Uncontrolled arrythmia
  • Acute illness with fever
  • Blood pressure above 180/100 mmHg

Treatment and study plan

Adaptive Rowing

Behavioral

12 supervised and coached sessions of 10-20 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise using an adaptive rower.

Primary outcomes

  1. Six Minute Arm Test

    Time frame: Study Start (Week 1) and at Study Completion (week 7-8)

    Submaximal fitness test using an upper body ergometer. Maximum power, maximum rate of perceived exertion and maximum heart rate are recorded. Higher power, lower RPE and lower maximum heart rate is better outcome

  2. Spinal Cord Injury Functional Inventory basic mobility, motorized wheelchair mobility and resilience subscales

    Time frame: Study Start (Week 1) and at Study Completion (week 7-8)

    Scores from 0-100% where mean scores for population is 50%, higher score better outcome

Secondary outcomes

  1. System Usability Scale

    Time frame: Study Completion (week 7-8)

    a standardized 10-question survey for perception of usability, scored from 0-100%, higher score, better outcome

  2. Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale-Short (PACES-S)

    Time frame: Study Completion (week 7-8)

    a standardized 4-question survey for perception of enjoyment of a physical activity intervention, scale is 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), total score 4-20 with higher score as better outcome

  3. Heart Rate (beats per minute), mean and range at rest, mean and range during rowing

    Time frame: 2 x a week through study completion, 7-8 weeks

    Heart rate will be recorded at rest and throughout the exercise intervention using a polar heart rate monitor and actigraph. Heart rate near target zone, better outcome

  4. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)-Borg 6-20 Scale

    Time frame: 2 x a week through study completion, 7-8 weeks

    RPE will be verbally stated by participant and recorded by study personnel at beginning, mid and end of steady state portion, and at each interval for interval exercise. (RPE, 6-20, higher means higher intensity) RPE within target zone of moderate intensity (12-14) better outcome

  5. Pain Scale (0-10 visual analog scale) and body location of pain verbalized by participant and recorded by study personnel

    Time frame: 2 x a week through study completion, 7-8 weeks

    participant complaints of discomfort or pain verbally stated along with location. Higher means worse pain, lower is better outcome

Other outcomes

  1. Short Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale

    Time frame: Study Start (Week 1) and at Study Completion (week 7-8)

    A standardized 9-question survey to measure participant confidence in being able to exercise under a variety of conditions. Scores are 0-90 where higher scores indicate better outcome .

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of South Carolina

Other

Collaborators

  • Foundation for Physical Therapy, Inc.

Registry information

Official study title

Using an Adaptive Rower for People Using Motorized Wheelchairs to Improve Cardiovascular Fitness

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 9, 2024
Registry last updated
Feb 24, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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