Fitness, level of lesion and red blood cell distribution in chronic spinal cord injury

Nightingale, Bhangu, Bilzon and Krassioukov lead off this month’s feature articles reporting a study examining the associations between red blood cell distribution width and cardiorespiratory fitness in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury. Their data emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high aerobic capacity following spinal cord injury to reduce secondary cardiovascular disease risk. In the second feature article, Bell, Timperio, Veitch and Carver describe cycling behaviours and report individual, social and neighbourhood correlates of cycling among children living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Continuing the cycling theme, Kavanagh, Issartel and Moran, provide evidence to support the suggestion that the ability to balance on a bike is a standalone Foundational Movement Skill and is not a representation of locomotor, object-control or stability skills.