Abstract
Study design:
A controlled single-case design: A1 (baseline: 6 weeks), B (intervention:12 weeks of treadmill training (TT), maximally five times a week/30 min a day), A2 (wash-out: 6 weeks), follow-up measurement: 6 months.
Objective:
To investigate the effects of TT on functional health status (FHS) and quality of life (QoL) in subjects with a chronic incomplete spinal cord injury (ISCI).
Setting:
Rehabilitation Department, University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Methods:
Three male subjects with a stable (>48 months postinjury) ISCI, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) class C (n=2) and D (n=1). Performance-based walking, subject's perception concerning quality of life (SEIQoL) and activities of daily living Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM).
Results:
The results of the three subjects were variable. Changes in QoL were relatively small and diverse. After 6 months' follow-up, QoL was unchanged in subjects 1 and 2, and improved in subject 3. In subject 2, performance of activities of daily living (ADL) was significantly improved, consistent with his perception of improvement (P<0.05), and this improvement was sustained throughout the follow-up period. Walking ability improved in subject 3 (P<0.05) but performance of other activities remained stable. Performance of ADL decreased slightly in subject 1 whereas his walking speed and Get up and Go performance improved (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates positive effects of TT on FHS. A randomised clinical trial should be executed before definite conclusions about the effect of TT on FHS and QoL can be drawn.
Sponsorship:
KF Hein Foundation and Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat Scientific Foundation.
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the KF Hein foundation and Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat Scientific Foundation. We thank Eduard Blanken (MSc/PT) for his assistance with the training and measuring and Joop Faber (PhD/biostatistician) and Cas Kruitwagen (MSc/biostatistician) for their help with the statistical analyses.
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Effing, T., van Meeteren, N., van Asbeck, F. et al. Body weight-supported treadmill training in chronic incomplete spinal cord injury: a pilot study evaluating functional health status and quality of life. Spinal Cord 44, 287–296 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3101841
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3101841
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