Bushra Anjum
2025 WCHRI Summer Student
Can a stationary bike linked to a video game help kids with heart disease get fit?
Bushra Anjum’s project explored whether a video game-linked exercise bike could improve the fitness of children born with heart disease.
She assisted with clinical trials to study the safety and effectiveness of a high-intensity interval training program for children aged 10 to 18 using the MedBIKE, a video game-linked exercise bike with real-time monitoring.
“From designing a randomized controlled trial, to recruiting patients, to conducting baseline testing, to setting up the MedBIKE and facilitating exercise sessions three times a week, every part of the clinical trial showed me just how much coordination, planning and teamwork it all takes. It was an incredible experience to participate in and learn from such a detailed and impactful project that is helping children with heart conditions.”
Goals:
- Study the impact of a 12-week MedBIKE exercise program on fitness and physical activity levels in children with heart disease.
- Evaluate the long-term changes in fitness at six and 12 months after the program.
Potential impact: Findings from this study could support the development of clinical exercise programs for children with heart conditions, improving their fitness and long-term health outcomes.
Supervisor: Michael Khoury, associate professor, Department of Pediatrics
Funders: Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation
Interested in doing research to improve the health of women and/or children? Read more about WCHRI’s training awards for students at all levels and generous grants for researchers.
