Live online exercise program for wheelchair users
Official title: Examining the effects of live telehealth exercise training on cardiometabolic outcomes in wheelchair users
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11262934 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses live, home-based exercise sessions over videoconference to try to improve heart and metabolic health for adults who use wheelchairs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | February 20, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $625,230 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD111059-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11262934 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) who primarily use a wheelchair and have an elevated cardiometabolic risk profile (for example, high triglycerides) are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
People without cardiometabolic risk factors, those unable to join live online sessions or use the monitoring devices, or those medically advised not to exercise may not benefit.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be randomly placed into one of two groups and asked to take part in a structured Movement-to-Music (M2M) exercise program adapted for online delivery with a cardio focus. Sessions are delivered live by instructors with real-time monitoring of vital signs like heart rate and breathing using remote devices. The trial plans to enroll about 132 adult wheelchair users with higher cardiometabolic risk, recruited through partnering clinics, and follow outcomes over time. The goal is to confirm the amount and type of exercise that can safely improve health for people who use wheelchairs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give wheelchair users an enjoyable, home-based way to lower cardiometabolic risk factors such as triglycerides and improve fitness.
How similar studies have gone: Some small exercise trials in disability groups have shown promise, but telehealth delivery using the M2M-C approach in a larger, diverse wheelchair-user group is still novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilroy, Jereme — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Wilroy, Jereme
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.