Selective neural stimulation methods improve cycling exercise performance after spinal cord injury: a case series.

Only three participants were studied, and they already had implanted stimulation systems, so this cannot show what would happen for most people with spinal cord injury or with surface stimulation. The study measured only short cycling trials, not long-term training, and no physiological or metabolic outcomes were recorded. Trial lengths were limited to 5 min, 2 min, and 1.5 min, so longer-duration benefits were not tested. All cycling was on an indoor recumbent tricycle, not over-ground cycling. Each test condition was compared only with conventional stimulation from the same session, not against other selective conditions for superiority. Some undetected fatigue within sessions may have occurred, although long rest breaks and alternating with conventional trials were used. Power fluctuation was worse with carousel patterns, which may affect comfort or smoothness. Percent improvements can be hard to interpret when baseline performance changed, such as for P02 after inactivity during the pandemic.

The funding statement names the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.

Do not conclude that selective neural stimulation cycling improves long-term health, fitness, walking, or independent exercise. This was a case series of three people with implanted systems, and it measured only short indoor cycling trials and acute power, work, charge, and smoothness outcomes.