The journal of spinal cord medicine
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To document the demographic and clinical profile of persons who sustained spinal cord injury (SCI) as a result of accidental falls and to determine the usual circumstances surrounding the fall-induced SCI. ⋯ The study findings of different mechanisms of falls by age, sex, race and medical consequences provide an insight for future interventions aimed at high risk persons, activities, and environmental factors for preventing or reducing fall-induced SCI.
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Single-subject case (male, 33 years of age, T6 SCI AIS A). ⋯ Once weekly of NMES RT evokes local positive changes in leg LM without reciprocating the continuous loss in LM or gain in FM in other regions and total body. Training was effective in increasing strength as well as fatigue resistance of the trained knee extensors.
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To assess the effects of virtual reality using the NintendoTM Wii Fit on balance, gait, and quality of life in ambulatory individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). ⋯ All subjects who participated in training with the NintendoTM Wii Fit demonstrated statistically significant improvements in gait speed and functional reach after seven weeks of training. Given the potential positive impact that the NintendoTM Wii Fit has on functional reach and gait speed in patients with iSCI, physical therapists may want to incorporate these activities as part of a rehabilitation program.
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Observational Study
Airway complications in traumatic lower cervical spinal cord injury: A retrospective study.
To investigate risk factors for pneumonia in patients with traumatic lower cervical spinal cord injury. ⋯ Our results confirm that patients with traumatic lower cervical spinal cord injuries defined by lesion level and AIS constitute a homogeneous group. This group is characterized by a high rate of pneumonia during the first 4 weeks after injury. The number of pre-existing general conditions and spinal injury-specific comorbidities are the only risk factors identified for the development of pneumonia and/or duration of ventilation.
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Cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is induced by static factors, dynamic factors, or a combination of both. We used a three-dimensional finite element method (3D-FEM) to analyze the stress distributions in the cervical spinal cord under static compression, dynamic compression, or a combination of both in the context of OPLL. ⋯ Symptoms may appear under static or dynamic compression only. However, under static compression, the stress distribution increases with the ROM of the responsible level and this makes it very likely that symptoms will worsen. We conclude that cervical OPLL myelopathy is induced by static factors, dynamic factors, and a combination of both.