Effect of a virtual walking and exercise-based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury
Abstract This study aims to assess the effect of combining virtual walking (VW) therapy with a physical exercise (PE) program compared to PE alone on lower limb strength and muscle activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). 38 participants performed 3 sessions/week during 6 week...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86845-8 |
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| author | Sara Mollà-Casanova Elena Muñoz-Gómez Noemí Moreno-Segura Marta Inglés Marta Aguilar-Rodríguez Núria Sempere-Rubio Pilar Serra-Añó |
| author_facet | Sara Mollà-Casanova Elena Muñoz-Gómez Noemí Moreno-Segura Marta Inglés Marta Aguilar-Rodríguez Núria Sempere-Rubio Pilar Serra-Añó |
| author_sort | Sara Mollà-Casanova |
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| description | Abstract This study aims to assess the effect of combining virtual walking (VW) therapy with a physical exercise (PE) program compared to PE alone on lower limb strength and muscle activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). 38 participants performed 3 sessions/week during 6 weeks of Experimental Intervention (EI): VW and PE; or Control intervention (CI): Placebo-VW and PE. Strength and muscle activation of main lower limb muscles were assessed. EI group exhibited a general strength increase after intervention (T2), (16.31–34.72 N), and maintained this improvement up to 1-month-follow-up (T3) for hip abduction and extension movements. The CI group only showed improvements in hip abduction and extension movements (18.34 (7.13) N and 19.98 (9.60) N, respectively). EI group also exhibited an increase of activation in all agonistic muscles in T2 (36.02–20.24 µV), except gastrocnemius. Gastrocnemius and rectus femoris activation as antagonistic decreased during dorsal flexion (− 14.28 (5.61) µV) and hip extension (− 14.78 [6.11] µV), respectively. CI group only showed an activation increase of agonistic muscles of hip abduction and extension (22.16 (9.80) µV and 28.82 (9.14) µV, respectively), without changes in antagonistic activation. VW could enhance the PE effects regarding muscle strength and activation in people with iSCI. Registration number: NCT04809987. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-96634e2e48d3482da72ea9c08a5a5a71 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-96634e2e48d3482da72ea9c08a5a5a712025-01-26T12:25:21ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-86845-8Effect of a virtual walking and exercise-based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injurySara Mollà-Casanova0Elena Muñoz-Gómez1Noemí Moreno-Segura2Marta Inglés3Marta Aguilar-Rodríguez4Núria Sempere-Rubio5Pilar Serra-Añó6UBIC Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of ValenciaUBIC Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of ValenciaUBIC Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of ValenciaUBIC Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of ValenciaUBIC Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of ValenciaUBIC Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of ValenciaUBIC Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of ValenciaAbstract This study aims to assess the effect of combining virtual walking (VW) therapy with a physical exercise (PE) program compared to PE alone on lower limb strength and muscle activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). 38 participants performed 3 sessions/week during 6 weeks of Experimental Intervention (EI): VW and PE; or Control intervention (CI): Placebo-VW and PE. Strength and muscle activation of main lower limb muscles were assessed. EI group exhibited a general strength increase after intervention (T2), (16.31–34.72 N), and maintained this improvement up to 1-month-follow-up (T3) for hip abduction and extension movements. The CI group only showed improvements in hip abduction and extension movements (18.34 (7.13) N and 19.98 (9.60) N, respectively). EI group also exhibited an increase of activation in all agonistic muscles in T2 (36.02–20.24 µV), except gastrocnemius. Gastrocnemius and rectus femoris activation as antagonistic decreased during dorsal flexion (− 14.28 (5.61) µV) and hip extension (− 14.78 [6.11] µV), respectively. CI group only showed an activation increase of agonistic muscles of hip abduction and extension (22.16 (9.80) µV and 28.82 (9.14) µV, respectively), without changes in antagonistic activation. VW could enhance the PE effects regarding muscle strength and activation in people with iSCI. Registration number: NCT04809987.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86845-8Spinal cord injuryVirtual walkingPhysical exerciseMuscle activation |
| spellingShingle | Sara Mollà-Casanova Elena Muñoz-Gómez Noemí Moreno-Segura Marta Inglés Marta Aguilar-Rodríguez Núria Sempere-Rubio Pilar Serra-Añó Effect of a virtual walking and exercise-based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury Scientific Reports Spinal cord injury Virtual walking Physical exercise Muscle activation |
| title | Effect of a virtual walking and exercise-based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury |
| title_full | Effect of a virtual walking and exercise-based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury |
| title_fullStr | Effect of a virtual walking and exercise-based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of a virtual walking and exercise-based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury |
| title_short | Effect of a virtual walking and exercise-based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury |
| title_sort | effect of a virtual walking and exercise based intervention on muscle strength and activation in people with incomplete spinal cord injury |
| topic | Spinal cord injury Virtual walking Physical exercise Muscle activation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86845-8 |
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