Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitation
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Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudySafety and efficacy of medically performed tongue piercing in people with tetraplegia for use with tongue-operated assistive technology.
Individuals with high-level spinal cord injuries need effective ways to perform activities. ⋯ Using careful selection criteria and a medically supervised piercing protocol, no excess risk was associated with tongue piercing and wearing a tongue barbell in people with tetraplegia. Participants were able to operate the TDS.
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Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil · Jan 2015
Epidemiology of Pediatric Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in a Population-Based Cohort, 1998-2012.
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) that occurs in children and adolescents who are still developing represents a different challenge than SCI in adults. However, information on the epidemiology and incidence of SCI in a population-based cohort is lacking. ⋯ Although there was an overall trend toward decreasing incidence in this population-based cohort, when stratified by race, this trend only occurred in the White population.
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Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil · Jan 2015
ReviewReliability and Validity of the Sensory Component of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI): A Systematic Review.
Since 1982, the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) has been used to classify sensation of spinal cord injury (SCI) through pinprick and light touch scores. The absence of proprioception, pain, and temperature within this scale creates questions about its validity and accuracy. ⋯ Due to the low to moderate quality of the current literature, the sensory component of the ISNCSCI requires further revision and investigation if it is to be a useful tool in clinical trials.
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Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil · Jan 2015
Facilitators and barriers to employment among veterans with spinal cord injury receiving 12 months of evidence-based supported employment services.
Return to work is associated with positive rehabilitation outcomes for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI); however, more research is needed on vocational support for persons with disabilities seeking employment. ⋯ Qualitative data illustrate how the integration of the vocational rehabilitation specialist on the medical team is helpful for addressing identified disability-specific barriers, including practical matters such as transportation and caregiving schedules, to facilitate employment outcomes.
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Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil · Jan 2015
Aging and Spinal Cord Injury: External Causes of Injury and Implications for Prevention.
Despite a consistent trend toward older age at time of spinal cord injury (SCI), little is known about the external causes of SCI in the elderly. ⋯ There is an urgent need for effective fall prevention programs among the elderly to reduce SCI in this expanding population. Details on the mechanisms of falls and other major causes of SCI among the elderly provided in this study should inform the development of future interventions for high-risk persons, activities, and environments.