There are roughly 5.5 million wheelchair users in the United States. Most live predominantly sedentary lifestyles, which leads to higher cardiometabolic risk factors. Researchers at UAB hope to minimize some of these risk factors through a new study.

The NIH awarded Jereme Wilroy, PhD, assistant professor for the UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, $3.3 million to study the effects of live telehealth exercise training on cardiometabolic outcomes in wheelchair users.

“We are building on our previous success with Movement-to-Music, a rhythm-based exercise program that has proved effective in improving health,” Wilroy said. “We’re adapting the M2M telehealth delivery method to develop a program with a cardio emphasis.”

The 24-week M2M-C program includes a remote training system with built-in videoconferencing and real-time monitoring of vital sign data. The aim is to examine the average treatment effects of the M2M-C program on core indicators of cardiometabolic risk factors.