The effect of rurality and distance from care on health outcomes, environmental barriers, and healthcare utilization patterns in persons with traumatic spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between residential living location and health outcomes, environmental barriers, quality of life, and healthcare utilization patterns after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). SETTING: Community setting, Atlantic Canada. METHODS: An ambispective study of data collected on a subset of individuals enrolled in the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry (RHSCIR) from 2012 to 2018. Outcomes were analyzed using two measures of rurality: postal codes at community follow-up (rural versus urban) and residential travel distance to the nearest RHSCIR facility (>100 km versus ≤100 km). Outcomes studied included the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors-Short Form (CHIEF-SF), Short Form-36 Version 2 (SF36v2), Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LISAT-11), Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM), secondary health complications and healthcare utilization patterns. Outcomes were assessed 9 to 24 months post-discharge from initial hospitalization. RESULTS: 104 participants were studied, 21 rural and 83 urban based on postal codes at community follow-up. 59 participants lived more than 100 km away from the nearest RHSCIR facility, while 45 participants lived within 100 km. Individuals from urban area codes reported a greater magnitude of perceived barriers on the policies and work/school subscales of the CHIEF-SF. No differences in function, quality of life, and healthcare utilization patterns according to the measures of rurality were observed. Individuals living >100 km from the nearest RHSCIR facility reported greater rates of sexual dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences in environmental barriers, individuals from urban and rural locations in Eastern Canada reported similar health outcomes and quality of life after tSCI.

The effects of two adhesive ankle-taping methods on strength, power, and range of motion in female athletes.

BACKGROUND: Taping is a ubiquitous strategy to help prevent ankle sprains. The restrictive qualities of various taping methods may impair athletic performance. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to compare the Gibney closed basket weave taping method with heel-locks to heel-locks and figure-eights in order to determine their effect on vertical jump performance and active range of motion (ROM) before and after exercise. METHODS: Eleven female varsity basketball athletes were subjected to three conditions of no ankle support (control), heel-locks, and figure-eights. The dependent variables of ankle active ROM, plantarflexor maximum voluntary contraction and jump height for the countermovement jump (CMJ), drop jump (DJ), and concentric only squat jump (COSJ) were randomly ordered. Following taping or control conditions, participants were pre-tested, completed a ten-minute treadmill run at 9.6 km/hr with a 3 minute cool down and then repeated the testing procedures. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in jump performance between taping methods or the effect of exercise. However significant differences for pre-/post-exercise for plantarflexor (p < 0.0001) and dorsiflexor (p = 0.007) active ROM and between no support and taping for plan-tarflexor ROM (p = 0.004) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Despite plantarflexor active ROM being restricted by both taping procedures compared to the control, no effect on jump performance occurred.