Using an Adaptive Rower for People Using Motorized Wheelchairs

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.