UH Study: Wheelchair Rugby Lowers Depression and Stress in Spinal Cord Injury

The study, funded by TIRR Memorial Hermann and published in the journal Spinal Cord, found that while about half of all spinal cord injury patients suffer from symptoms of psychological distress, just 17 percent of the 150 wheelchair rugby players who participated in the study had symptoms. Furthermore, athletes who practiced wheelchair rugby two or more times per week scored significantly lower on depression and stress tests compared to those who practiced once a week or less.