A practical guide for researchers prescribing exercise to improve fitness and health outcomes in individuals living with spinal cord injury

Exercise is fundamental to promoting fitness and health in individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI). Yet, real-world implementation of evidence-based exercise guidelines in this population has been limited. This guide presents a practical approach to exercise prescription for individuals living with SCI. Whilst it is tailored for researchers prescribing and delivering an exercise intervention in either rehabilitation or community settings with SCI participants, healthcare professionals and people living with SCI themselves may also find this information helpful. Drawing upon the latest consensus-based recommendations and current literature, this guide emphasises individualised exercise prescription for researchers using the frequency, intensity, time, type, volume, and progression (i.e., FITT-VP) principles alongside appropriate methods for exercise intensity monitoring. A brief overview of considerations related to safety and equipment is presented. Ultimately, this practical guide (with accompanying step-by-step checklist) aims to support researchers by summarising current best practice exercise prescription approaches to improve fitness and health among individuals living with SCI.