For Dr. Bonnie Sawatzky, a career dedicated to mobility research has always been rooted in a single, fundamental philosophy: if research isn’t relevant to the patient, what is the point? This belief was put to the ultimate test when a former rower, navigating life after a recent spinal cord injury, issued a direct challenge to her team: “Can you guys make me a rowing machine that I can use as a quadriplegic?”
That spark of inspiration—born from a specific patient’s desire to reclaim a lost passion—set off a decade-long journey of collaboration, rigorous science, and a radical vision for inclusive fitness.
A Multidisciplinary Mission
To meet the challenge, ICORD investigators Dr. Sawatzky, Dr. Carolyn Sparrey (SFU) and Dr Jaimie Borisoff (BCIT) assembled a group of experts, including physiologists, engineers, biomechanists, and social scientists, as well as students from Occupational Therapy, Kinesiology and Medicine. The goal was to move beyond the traditional arm-crank ergometer—a machine many patients find unsatisfying and monotonous—and create something that offered a true, high-intensity workout.
The development was an iterative process. The team used biomechanical and physiological testing to validate the benefits of the rowing machine exercise, followed by qualitative research, conducting interviews, and gathering feedback to ensure the machine was desirable and user-friendly, while simultaneously applying quantitative science to prove its efficacy. Their findings were definitive: the adapted rowing machine provided a significantly higher-intensity workout and better energy expenditure than traditional arm-crank machines.
From Rehab to the Community
As the prototype evolved, the team’s vision expanded. They realized that for the machine to be truly successful, it needed to move out of the hospital and into the real world.
“If we created something that actually able-bodied and disabled people could use, then it’s actually got more uptake and more normalcy,” Dr. Sawatzky explains.
Supported by grants from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, the team successfully placed 20 machines in fitness centers across Canada. By designing a machine that accommodated both disabled and able-bodied users, they began to normalize disability in public spaces, ensuring that specialized rehab equipment didn’t have to stay hidden in a clinic.
The Pandemic Pivot
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, fitness centers closed their doors, creating a new barrier for those who relied on the machines. While professional rowing machines can cost upwards of $2,500—a prohibitive price for many—the team pivoted to cost-reduction engineering.
Listening once again to the patient voice, they designed a home-accessible version for under $1,000, ensuring that health and exercise remained reachable even during a global lockdown.
A Sustainable Legacy
Today, the rowing machines are sold through the British Columbia Mobility Opportunity Society, ensuring a permanent supply for the community. The project has resulted in numerous academic publications, but more importantly, it has resulted in a tangible tool that changes lives. The team, led by Dr Jaime Borisoff, also developed a cross skiing ergometer.
The takeaway from Dr. Sawatzky’s work is a lesson for the broader research community: qualitative research (the “voice”) and foundational science (the “lab”) are not opposing forces. Instead, they are complementary pillars of innovation.
“It’s definitely a complementary process,” says Dr. Sawatzky. “But the important part is actually always listening to who it matters to in the first place.”
