Reduction of Periodic Leg Movement in Individuals with Paraplegia Following Aerobic Physical Exercise

Purpose: According to the American Association of Sleep Disorders, periodic leg movements (PLM) are classified into the group of intrinsic sleep disorders. Studies on PLM in individuals with spinal cord injury are very recent. The objective of the present study was to assess the efficacy of aerobic training in reducing the index/score of PLM in individuals with complete spinal cord injury.

Methods: Twelve male volunteers with complete spinal cord injury between T7 and T12 were submitted to six polysonographies (PSG Oxford Medilog SAC system; EEG, EMG and EOG: (1) basal night, (2) 12 h after a maximum effort test, (3) 36 h after a maximum effort test, (4) after 44 days of aerobic physical training, (5) 12 h after the last training session, and (6) 36 h after the last training session. All volunteers participated in a physical training program for 44 days using an arm crank ergometer. Data were analyzed statistically by the Wilcoxon test, with the level of significance set at alpha5%.

Results: The results demonstrated a statistically significant reduction (P < or = 0.05) in the comparison of first evaluation (35.1 PLM/h) with fifth (12.70 PLM/h) and sixth evaluation (18.5 PLM/h).

Conclusion: This study suggests that a program of regular and systematized physical activity promotes an effective reduction of PLM in individuals with spinal cord injury.