Determine the Effectiveness of the GAMECycle Upper Body Exercise System to Improve Cardiovascular Fitness

Determine the Effectiveness of the GAMECycle Upper Body Exercise System to Improve Cardiovascular Fitness

Principal Investigator/s: Rory Cooper, PhD

Co- Investigator/s: Shirley Fitzgerald, PhD; Michael Boninger, MD

2002-2003

The specific aim of this project is to determine if individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) or lower extremity dysfunction can use the GAME^Cycle system to improve their cardiovascular fitness. Game^Cycle is an interface between a computer and an arm ergometer acting as a joystick. By rotation of the ergometer, one is able to play video games on their computer.

The study design will involve two different trials: 1) fifteen minute exercise session with the GAME^Cycle while playing a computer game, and 2) a fifteen minute exercise session with the GAME^Cycle without playing a computer game. Physiological data (oxygen consumption [VO2], ventilation rate [VE], heart rate) will be collected during both trials. An exercise training effect by the GAME^Cycle system will be defined as when the system helped the individual to exercise above 50% above their calculated max VO2/kg and above 60% their predicted max heart rate for arm work.

Hypotheses that will be tested include:

1. Subjects will be able to reach and maintain their target aerobic training zone (age predicted) while using the GAME^Cycle upper body exercise system during a 15-minute exercise bout.

2. Subjects will report lower ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) while using the GAME^Cycle system when playing games versus an upper body exercise system that provides speed feedback only.

3. Subjects will report higher exercise motivation with the GAME^Cycle system versus upper body exercises that provide speed feedback only.

Results. Thirteen individuals with SCI volunteered to participate in this research study. The predominantly male population (92%), were a mean age of 41+ 9.4 years, and 9.4 + 6.6 years post injury. Four subjects had injury at C5-6; 4 subjects with T6 to T8 injuries and 5 subjects with injuries at T10 and below. There was a significant difference between playing the game and not playing the game for VO₂ and VCO₂, with higher values being found when the game was played. 85% (11 of the 13) of the subjects reported working out on a regular basis. Eighty-two percent of those that worked out on a regular basis participated in more than one activity in a given week. Subjects reported working out an average of 5.5 + 4.4 times per week at 52 + 1.2 minutes each time. Ten of the thirteen subjects reported owning their own equipment, with only nine of them actually using the equipment. Seventy-seven percent stated that they used motivation to exercise, which included music, losing weight, meeting with friends, and staying competitive for racing.

The majority (77%) stated that GAME^Cycle would aid in the frequency and motivation of their own exercise habits, and all subjects believed that GAME^Cycle would aid in motivation for exercise to all manual wheelchair users. Interestingly, those who exercised more (greater frequency per week, longer workout duration) were more likely to say that GAME^Cycle would not aid them in working out on a regular basis or for a longer period of time. Based on these findings, GAME^Cycle system is an effective means of elevating metabolic and physiologic parameters to a desired level and maintaining that level. The results of this study have led into the additional phases of the GAME^Cycle project.

This phase of the study has been completed.

Dissemination:

Reeves et. al. published a paper entitled “Determining the Effectiveness of the GameCycle System as an Exercise Device” in the proceedings of the 25^th Annual Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America Conference. Songfeng et. Al. also presented a paper entitled “Development of the GameCycle Exercise System”. Fitzgerald et. Al. is pubishing a paper entitled “The GameCycle: A Comparison to Standard Ergometry” in the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine.

Authier et. Al. published a paper entitled “Mechanical Refinement of the GameCycle Exercise System” in the proceedings of the 28^th Annual Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America Conference. Guo et. Al published a paper entitled Development and Qualitative Assessment of the GAME^Cycle Exercise System in the IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.