Abstract
Study design
Observational, analytical cohort study.
Objectives
After incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), propriospinal pathways may remain intact enabling coupling between respiration and locomotion. This locomotor-respiratory coupling (LRC) may enable coordination between these two important behaviors and have implications for rehabilitation after iSCI. However, coordination between these behaviors is not well understood and it is unknown if iSCI disrupts LRC. The objective of this study was to compare LRC in ambulatory adults with iSCI to able-bodied controls.
Setting
Rehabilitation Research Center, Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America.
Methods
Adults with iSCI (4 males, 1 female) and able-bodied controls (2 males, 3 females) walked at their fastest comfortable speed for 6 min over ground, and on a treadmill with bodyweight support (10–20%) and as-needed assistance at a standardized fast speed (controls) or their fastest speed (iSCI) for 6 min. LRC was quantified as the percent of breaths that were coupled with steps at a consistent ratio during the last 4 min of each walking condition.
Results
Over ground, participants with iSCI demonstrated significantly more LRC than able-bodied controls (72.4 ± 6.4% vs. 59.1% ± 7.5, p = 0.016). During treadmill walking, LRC did not differ between groups (iSCI 67.5 ± 15.8% vs. controls 66.3 ± 4.0%, p > 0.05).
Conclusions
Adults with iSCI demonstrated similar or greater LRC compared to able-bodied controls. This suggests that pathways subserving coordination between these behaviors remain intact in this group of individuals who walk independently after iSCI.
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Data availability
The datasets generated and/or analyzed are available upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Mr. Paul Freeborn for his assistance with data collection procedures. We are grateful for the time and valuable contributions of the study participants.
Funding
The Brooks Rehabilitation-University of Florida College of Public Health & Health Professions Research Collaboration, NIH grant 1R01HL139708-01A1 (DDF), and NIH/NICHD K12 HD055929 (EF).
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TWS, DDF, and EJF conceived and design the study protocol. TWS and EJF carried out study procedures and acquired data. TWS performed data analyses and designed the figure. TWS and EJF interpreted results. TWS drafted the initial manuscript and DDF and EJF contributed, provided edits and reviewed the final manuscript.
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Sutor, T.W., Fuller, D.D. & Fox, E.J. Locomotor-respiratory coupling in ambulatory adults with incomplete spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord Ser Cases 8, 49 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-022-00515-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-022-00515-9
