Tele-Exercise to Promote Empowered Movement in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

Conditions

• Spinal Cord Injury

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

18 Years - 75 Years

Healthy Volunteers

Not accepted

Interventions

• Synchronous Group exercise — OTHER
  Participants will participate in the TEEMS biweekly for 8 weeks (synchronous intervention). The synchronous group will attend sessions 2 times per week, with all sessions recorded. The sessions will be 60-minutes total, including 45-minutes of physical activity. Recorded sessions will be made available for participants to use on their own at the end of each week, building a video of 16 videos. The program will be taught by a rehabilitation clinician with expertise in SCI and adapted exercise while our co-instructor will offer peer guidance and demonstrate lived translation of movement with an SCI. Class will take place over a web-based platform (such as Zoom).TEEMS instructors also orient participants to the Borg Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE, 6-20 scale) to be used as an self-exertion check throughout class and to be recorded in a provided logbook. RPE is used as a self-assessment of moderate-vigorous intensity exercise.
• Asynchronous exercise (Control) — OTHER
  Participants will participate in the TEEMS biweekly for 8 weeks (asynchronous video library). The asynchronous, control group will be provided with 2 recorded videos weekly that align with the synchronous group sessions, building a 16 video library as well. The sessions will be 60-minutes total, including 45-minutes of physical activity. The program will be taught by a rehabilitation clinician with expertise in SCI and adapted exercise while our co-instructor will offer peer guidance and demonstrate lived translation of movement with an SCI. Class will take place over a web-based platform (such as Zoom).TEEMS instructors also orient participants to the Borg Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE, 6-20 scale) to be used as an self-exertion check throughout class and to be recorded in a provided logbook. RPE is used as a self-assessment of moderate-vigorous intensity exercise.

Study Details

To achieve our specific aims and hypotheses we will conduct a parallel group mixed methods randomized control trial comparing participation in the TEEMS program with exercise via asynchronous video library equivalent (control). The use of mixed methods will allow for the integration of quantitative findings with the qualitative, lived perspective of participants to provide a comprehensive analysis of the tele-exercise program outcomes. All aspects of the study from recruitment, screening, data collection, tele-exercise delivery and team meetings will be virtual to promote access and inclusion by removing barriers and promoting engagement. This study will compare our live group TEEMS program with individual pre-recorded exercise videos. We created TEEMS with the intention of maximizing exercise independence for participants, which decreases need for caregivers during physical activity. The design and participation in TEEMS is meant to increase personal factors that facilitate participation in exercise. These personal factors include confidence and positive associations with exercise. When these personal factors are targeted, individuals with SCI are more likely to participate in physical activity, which supports overall health and QoL.

Key Dates

Start date

May 4, 2026

Status verified

Jun 2026

Primary completion

Jan 31, 2029

Completion

Aug 31, 2029

Study Design

Enrollment

200 participants (estimated)

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Arms

• Experimental: Synchronous Group Exercise
  All participants will participate in the TEEMS biweekly for 8 weeks (synchronous intervention or asynchronous video library). Participants will participate in the TEEMS biweekly for 8 weeks (synchronous intervention). The synchronous group will attend sessions 2 times per week, with all sessions recorded. The sessions will be 60-minutes total, including 45-minutes of physical activity. Recorded sessions will be made available for participants to use on their own at the end of each week, building a video of 16 videos. The program will be taught by a rehabilitation clinician with expertise in SCI and adapted exercise while our co-instructor will offer peer guidance and demonstrate lived translation of movement with an SCI. Class will take place over a web-based platform (such as Zoom).TEEMS instructors also orient participants to the Borg Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE, 6-20 scale) to be used as an self-exertion check throughout class and to be recorded in a provided logbook. RPE is u
• Active Comparator: Asynchronous Exercise
  The asynchronous control condition will be delivered using a private Youtube playlist. The asynchronous group will be provided with 2 recorded TEEMS videos weekly that align with the synchronous group sessions, building a 16 video library. Participants will participate in the TEEMS biweekly for 8 weeks (synchronous intervention). The asynchronous group will perform sessions 2 times per week. The sessions will be 60-minutes total, including 45-minutes of physical activity.

Primary Outcome Measure

Exercise Self Efficacy [ Time Frame: at baseline (enrollment), 8-weeks, 16-weeks ]

Central Contacts

• Margaret F Finley, PT, PhD
  4107462112
  [email protected]
• Laura Baehr, PT, DPT, PhD
  [email protected]

Locations (1)

Find similar trials in Philadelphia, PA

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