Regulation of glucose turnover and hormonal responses during electrical cycling in tetraplegic humans

The role of blood-borne feedback mechanisms for regulation of substrate mechanisms such as glucose turnover was investigated during exercise in spinal cord-injured subjects. The subjects' lower limbs were functionally electrically stimulated to carry out cycling to fatigue. Heart rate was measured and compared to the heart rate during voluntary arm cranking in tetraplegics and leg cycling in long-term immobilized subjects.