Quick Overview
Scientists from the University of Warwick, University of Oxford and University College London carefully measured exercise during functional electrical stimulation rowing (FES- a niche of EMS ). They recorded steady oxygen consumption of 15.2 ± 1.8 mL/kg/min in tetraplegia and 22.9 ± 7.1 mL/kg/min in paraplegia. Forces on the leg bones exceeded 1.5 times body weight. One athlete rowed 2000 metres in 10 minutes 28 seconds, while others built clear endurance gains over months.
These factual results suggest regular EMS sessions can help people with spinal cord injury reach useful training intensities and load bones in a controlled way. The work was published in the peer-reviewed journal Artificial Organs by Wiley in 2017.
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How Electrical Stimulation Supported Measurable Gains in Training
Imagine someone who cannot move their legs after a spinal cord injury. Everyday life offers little chance for full-body effort. Yet a special form of exercise changes that picture.
Functional electrical stimulation, or FES - a niche of EMS , sends gentle pulses through skin electrodes. These pulses make the paralysed leg muscles contract in time with arm rowing. The result is called FES rowing.
Scientists from the University of Warwick, the University of Oxford and University College London led this work. They published their findings in the respected journal Artificial Organs in 2017. The publisher is Wiley, a well-known scientific house with a long record of careful review.
The team measured real numbers. People with tetraplegia reached steady oxygen consumption of 15.2 ± 1.8 mL/kg/min during 30-minute sessions. People with paraplegia reached 22.9 ± 7.1 mL/kg/min. These figures approach the vigorous intensity linked to better heart health in the wider population.
The same sessions placed more than 1.5 times body weight of force on the long bones of the legs. Repeated loading of this kind may support bone strength where ordinary activity cannot.
One young man with complete paraplegia rowed 2000 metres in 10 minutes 28 seconds. Others completed full marathons under FES control. Two of the same athletes later won medals in adaptive rowing at world championships and Paralympic Games.
The research shows that regular FES training builds both strength and endurance. Participants started with short distances and progressed to thousands of metres. Muscle fatigue resistance improved clearly over months of practice.
FES rowing also uses a pulling action that many find easier on the shoulders than pushing exercises. This matters because shoulder strain is common after long years of wheelchair use.
The scientists tested the method on land ergometers and on water in adapted boats. They used at least four channels of surface stimulation. The approach worked for injuries from C4 to T12.
Taken together, the measurements suggest that consistent FES sessions can deliver useful volumes of exercise. Where a clear dose-response link exists, such as for cardiovascular risk and Type II diabetes, higher effort levels may bring meaningful support.
The work remains research. It does not claim to reverse injury or replace medical care. It simply shows what carefully applied electrical stimulation made possible for the people who took part.
More sessions brought greater fitness gains and longer continuous efforts. That pattern points to a practical way for some people with spinal cord injury to stay active and load their bones in a controlled setting.
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Research Summary
| Research Point | Detail from the Study |
|---|---|
| Full Title | Development of Functional Electrical Stimulation Rowing: The Rowstim Series |
| Authors | Brian Andrews, Robin Gibbons and Garry Wheeler |
| Journal and Year | Artificial Organs, 2017 (Wiley) |
| Research Centres | University of Warwick, University of Oxford and University College London |
| Core Focus | Development and measured outcomes of hybrid FES rowing for people with spinal cord injury |
| Oxygen Use – Tetraplegia | Steady-state oxygen consumption of 15.2 ± 1.8 mL/kg/min during 30-minute sessions |
| Oxygen Use – Paraplegia | Steady-state oxygen consumption of 22.9 ± 7.1 mL/kg/min during the same sessions |
| Bone Loading | Cyclical forces greater than 1.5 times body weight recorded on the long bones of the legs |
| Stimulation Method | At least four channels of surface electrical stimulation timed with voluntary upper-body rowing |
| Participant Injury Range | Spinal cord injuries from C4 to T12 AIS A |
| Equipment Tested | Adapted Concept 2 ergometers, turbine-powered rowing tank and adapted Alden sculling boats |
| Best Recorded Performance | 2000 metres completed in 10 minutes 28 seconds by a 23-year-old man with T12 AIS A injury |
| Competitive Outcomes | Two FES rowers later won medals in Adaptive Rowing at World Championships and Paralympic Games |
| Training Progress | Participants advanced from short distances to continuous efforts of thousands of metres with improved endurance |
| Original Study Link | https://doi.org/10.1111/aor.13053 |
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