SPIRIT Club CBI Pathway: A novel streaming platform for physical activity and wellness promotion for chronic brain injury survivors

SPIRIT Club’s current virtual platform and programming provides a variety of levels and types of supportive fitness classes to 230+ organizations in three different countries with an average of 5,000 consumers daily. SPIRIT Club’s long-term goal is to expand the current platform and programming to target the specific needs of various sub-populations, especially those transitioning from formal rehabilitation settings to their long-term home environments. With this Fast-Track application, the technical components of the SPIRIT Club platform will be enhanced to include an on-demand, evidence-based and stakeholder-informed chronic brain injury (CBI) Pathway. Mainstream physical fitness centers and online exercise programs often lack accessibility and training to support people with long-term cognitive and physical impairments common after acquired brain injuries. Goal: In Phase 1, we will leverage our existing fitness platform designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to build an on-demand evidence-based and stakeholder informed pathway that includes programming and educational material for adolescents and adults living with persistent cognitive and physical impairments associated with a CBI. In Phase II, we will test, refine, and evaluate the utility of the new pathway for individuals with CBI in real-world contexts to improve outcomes and increase the commercialization of SPIRIT Club. Approach: Our team is composed of industry, clinical, and research experts in the areas of physical fitness and rehabilitation programming for people with disabilities to ensure the CBI pathway will be innovative, evidence-based, feasible, and patient- and family-centered. Aims: Phase I: Design a user-friendly expansion of the SPIRIT Club platform to provide a targeted set of educational modules and exercise programming that specifically meets the needs of CBI survivors and their caregivers. Aim 1.1: Adapt and enhance SPIRIT Club features to include stakeholder-informed content and curriculum for SPIRIT Club members with CBI through a formative evaluation process using a community-based participatory action approach with clinical experts and patient and caregiver advisors. Aim 1.2: Build and test the technical components for the CBI Pathway into SPIRIT Club’s existing platform. Milestone to progress to Phase II: Operational prototype of the CBI pathway on SPIRIT Club’s virtual platform. Phase II: Evaluate the utility of the new platform to promote physical activity and wellness among CBI survivors. Aim 2.1: Conduct a pilot test of the prototype with 10 CBI survivors, and refine the prototype based on findings. Aim 2.2: Evaluate the utility of SPIRIT Club’s CBI Pathway for promoting physical activity engagement and self-efficacy using a randomized control trial.