HORMONAL RESPONSES TO GRADED-RESISTANCE, PES-ASSISTED STRENGTH TRAINING IN SPINAL CORD-INJURED

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) assisted resistance training h as been effective in increasing muscular strength and endurance in spi nal cord injured men and women in preparation for FES-assisted cycle p rograms and for FES-assisted standing and walking. Increases in blood pressure and a concomitant bradycardia suggestive of autonomic dysrefl exia have been reported during FES-assisted resistance training. Self- induced autonomic dysreflexia in athletes who use wheelchairs suppress ed the normal exercise induced serum testosterone increase. We, theref ore, examined the changes in hematocrit and circulating levels of test osterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), cortisol, prolactin, no repinephrine and epinephrine during FES assisted resistance exercise i n five high spinal cord injured men (SCI) and comparable maximal exerc ise in five able bodied controls (AB). Mean serum testosterone levels significantly increased with FES-assisted resistance training in SCI a nd maximal resistance exercise in AB with no significant change in hem atocrit or SHBG. Prolactin, cortisol and epinephrine levels were uncha nged while norepinephrine levels were significantly increased in SCI a nd AB. These findings suggest that there is no concern over inadequate physiological androgen response to an exercise stimulus in SCI. The d ata do not support the previous findings that elevated levels of norep inephrine in autonomic dysreflexia suppress testosterone response to e xercise.