The Effect of Mindset and Breathing Exercises on Physical and Mental Health in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury—A Pilot Feasibility Study

This study investigated the feasibility and efficacy of mindset and breathing exercises (Wim Hof Method (WHM)) on physical and mental health in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Ten individuals with SCI participated in this pilot study. These ten participants followed a 4-week WHM intervention, with one weekly group session in the rehabilitation center and daily practice at home using the WHM app. An in-person exit-interview was conducted post-intervention to collect qualitative information on participants’ experiences, regarding the feasibility and effects of the intervention. Furthermore, tests and questionnaires were administered pre- and post-intervention to assess physical and mental health outcomes. Adherence to the weekly in-person meetings was excellent and no adverse events occurred. Physical and mental health outcomes in this small sample size showed some pre–post differences. This pilot feasibility study provides preliminary evidence supporting the feasibility and efficacy of the WHM, including mindset and breathing exercises, on physical and mental health of people with SCI. These results warrant a randomized-controlled trial, including cold exposure, of this novel intervention in people with SCI

The social dimension of quality of life following spinal cord injury or disease:an international ICF-linking study

Study design: International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) linking study. Objective: Analyze cognitive interview data using the ICF as an analytic framework, to examine aspects of social life relevant to quality of life (QoL) according to people with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D). This study builds upon results of an international study about the cross-cultural validity of the International SCI QoL Basic Data Set (QoL-BDS). Setting: Four specialized outpatient clinics in SCI/D rehabilitation, from the US, Brazil and Australia. Methods: Analysis of qualitative data from 39 cognitive interviews with SCI/D patients at least one year post onset. Participants were asked to define their concept of QoL, overall life satisfaction, physical health and psychological health, and other relevant matters. Four independent researchers coded text fragments related to the items, and fragments were linked to ICF chapters d6–d9, following established linking rules. Results: The proportion of text referring to social life was 35.8% (definition QoL), 24.9% (QoL life as whole), 6.0% (physical health) and 34.9% (psychological health). The most frequent ICF categories were d760 Family relationships, d770 Intimate relationships and d920 Recreation and leisure. Most frequent responded social topics to the ‘other issues’ item were d770 Intimate relationships, d760 Formal relationships, and d870 Economic self-sufficiency. Conclusion: The importance of social life aspects to the QoL was highlighted based on responses of SCI/D patients, clearly demonstrated through the ICF linking process. Adding a satisfaction with social life item to the QoL-BDS has made this instrument a more comprehensive measure.</p

Effect of Training for an Athletic Challenge on Illness Cognition in Individuals with Chronic Disability: A Prospective Cohort Study

Illness cognitions (IC) influence how a patient adapts to a chronic disease. The aim was (1) to determine if training for a handcycling mountain time trial (HandbikeBattle) improves IC and (2) to identify factors associated with IC change scores. Persons with a chronic disability (N = 220; including N = 151 with spinal cord disorder) trained 5 months and participated in the time trial. The IC Questionnaire measured helplessness, acceptance, perceived benefits and was assessed before training (T1), after training (T2), and four months after the event (T3). Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), time since injury (TSI), disability characteristics, self-efficacy, mental health (MH) and musculoskeletal pain were obtained at T1. Multilevel regression analyses showed that helplessness decreased (from 11.96 to 11.28, p < 0.01) and perceived benefits increased (from 16.91 to 17.58, p < 0.01) from T1 to T2. For helplessness this decrease persisted during follow-up (11.16 at T3). Changes in helplessness were associated with self-efficacy (p = 0.02), MH (p = 0.02) and lesion completeness (p = 0.02), and were independent of disability type (p = 0.66), lesion level (p = 0.30) and demographics such as sex (p = 0.29) and age (p = 0.67). Training with peers may improve helplessness and perceived benefits in individuals with a chronic disability. Especially individuals with MH problems might benefit from training for an athletic challenge with peers to improve illness cognitions, and ultimately, quality of life

Changes in body satisfaction during and after a 5-month handcycle training period and associations with physical capacity and body composition in individuals with a physical impairment

Purpose: To investigate: (1) changes in body satisfaction during five months of handcycle training and one year after the training period; (2) whether longitudinal changes are dependent on sex, waist circumference and severity of the physical impairment; (3) associations between changes in physical capacity or body composition, and body satisfaction. Materials and methods: Individuals (N = 143) with health conditions such as spinal cord injury filled out the Adult Body Satisfaction Questionnaire: at the start of the training (T1), directly after the training period (T2); and four months (T3) and one year after the training period (T4). At T1 and T2, physical capacity was determined with an upper-body graded exercise test, and waist circumference was measured. Handcycling classification was used as a proxy for the severity of impairment. Results: Multilevel regression analyses showed that body satisfaction significantly increased during the training period and significantly decreased back to pre-training levels at follow-up. Individuals with more severe impairments showed a larger decrease at T4. Improvements in physical capacity and waist circumference were significantly associated with improvements in body satisfaction. Conclusions: Body satisfaction significantly increased during the training period, but significantly decreased during follow-up. Additional efforts might be necessary to keep individuals engaged in long-term exercise

Reliability and validity of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) in individuals with a recently acquired spinal cord injury

ObjectiveTo assess the reliability and validity of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) and possible subscales, and to interpret Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) total scores, in individuals with a spinal cord injury.DesignCross-sectionalSettingSeven Dutch rehabilitation centresSubjectsIndividuals with a recently acquired traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury at the start of inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation (N = 270).Main measureThe Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) consists of eight items on an individual's cognitive and emotional representation of one's health conditions. Principal component analysis was performed to identify possible Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) subscales. Validity was assessed by testing hypotheses on correlations between the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) and other measures. Cut-off points of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) total score were determined.ResultsMean (SD) age of participants was 60.1 (16.5) years, 188 (71%) were male, and 119 (44%) had tetraplegia. Three potential subscales were revealed. Cronbach's alpha was acceptable for only one subscale. This subscale was named ‘consequences’ and included the items ‘consequences’, ‘symptom burden’, ‘concern’, and ‘emotions’. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) total and the consequence subscale showed the expected strong correlations (&gt;.50) with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Mean (SD) scores were 40.9 (12.3) on the 8-item Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) (range 0–80) and 25.1 (8.1) on the consequences subscale (range 0–40). Cut-off points for the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) total score were determined as follows: &lt;42 indicating low experienced threat, 42–49 indicating moderate experienced threat, and ≥50 indicating high experienced threat.ConclusionThe Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) total and consequences subscale seem applicable in individuals with a spinal cord injury in the rehabilitation practice and research.</jats:sec

Illness perception of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) during inpatient rehabilitation:a longitudinal study

Study design: Multicentre longitudinal study. Objectives: To assess overall illness perception and specific illness representations at admission and discharge of inpatient spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation, and to detect associations between demographic and injury-related variables, and illness perception. Setting: Seven Dutch SCI-specialised rehabilitation centres. Methods: Participants aged >18 years with a recent SCI were screened for cognitive and emotional illness representations at admission and discharge with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ). Differences between B-IPQ item scores at admission and discharge were analysed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Differences between B-IPQ total scores were analysed with the paired-samples t-test. Associations between B-IPQ total scores and other variables were tested with bivariable and multivariable regression analyses. Results: B-IPQ results were available for 270 participants at admission (71% male, 59% paraplegia, 83% incomplete) and 119 at discharge (68% male, 50% paraplegia, 78% incomplete). The extent to which people experienced their SCI as a threat was highest for: ‘consequences’, ‘symptom burden’ and ‘concern’ both at admission and discharge. Participants generally experienced less threat at discharge. A more threatening illness perception was significantly associated with older age, complete SCI and a history of cognitive problems at admission. Age and completeness of injury, together, explained 12% of the variance of overall illness perception at admission. Conclusions: For most individuals, illness perception positively changed during SCI rehabilitation. Measuring illness perception in inpatient rehabilitation could support the identification of specific treatment goals in order to improve adjustment after SCI

Effect of Training for an Athletic Challenge on Illness Cognition in Individuals with Chronic Disability:A Prospective Cohort Study

Illness cognitions (IC) influence how a patient adapts to a chronic disease. The aim was (1) to determine if training for a handcycling mountain time trial (HandbikeBattle) improves IC and (2) to identify factors associated with IC change scores. Persons with a chronic disability (N = 220; including N = 151 with spinal cord disorder) trained 5 months and participated in the time trial. The IC Questionnaire measured helplessness, acceptance, perceived benefits and was assessed before training (T1), after training (T2), and four months after the event (T3). Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), time since injury (TSI), disability characteristics, self-efficacy, mental health (MH) and musculoskeletal pain were obtained at T1. Multilevel regression analyses showed that helplessness decreased (from 11.96 to 11.28, p &lt; 0.01) and perceived benefits increased (from 16.91 to 17.58, p &lt; 0.01) from T1 to T2. For helplessness this decrease persisted during follow-up (11.16 at T3). Changes in helplessness were associated with self-efficacy (p = 0.02), MH (p = 0.02) and lesion completeness (p = 0.02), and were independent of disability type (p = 0.66), lesion level (p = 0.30) and demographics such as sex (p = 0.29) and age (p = 0.67). Training with peers may improve helplessness and perceived benefits in individuals with a chronic disability. Especially individuals with MH problems might benefit from training for an athletic challenge with peers to improve illness cognitions, and ultimately, quality of life.</p