The Effect of Physical Activity on the Cardiometabolic Profile and Mental Health of People with Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

It is a fact that one of the main causes of mortality in people with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is cardiovascular
diseases. These individuals show increased rates of obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, which are indicators of cardiovascular diseases, due to hypoactivity and abstinence from physical activities. The purpose of this review was to examine the contribution of physical activity to reducing cardiometabolic risk and promoting mental health in people with SCI. The methodology followed was a literature review of 52 articles through the PubMed and Google Scholar search engines. From the review of the literature, it emerged that increasing (EE), from the participation of people with (SCI) in physical activities systematically and organized sports, such as basketball and wheelchair rugby, improved their maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), their lipid profile, increased the indices of exercise-induced inflammation as well as the indices of antioxidant capacity. The systematic participation in physical activities and sports, by people with (SCI), led to an increase in (ED), without additional burden on their immune system, contributing, both to the reduction of chances of developing cardiovascular diseases, and to their psychological upliftment, which plays a key role in the reintegration of these individuals into society.