Building capacity for implementation-the KT Challenge.

BACKGROUND: The KT Challenge program supports health care professionals to effectively implement evidence-based practices. Unlike other knowledge translation (KT) programs, this program is grounded in capacity building, focuses on health care professionals (HCPs), and uses a multi-component intervention. This study presents the evaluation of the KT Challenge program to assess the impact on uptake, KT capacity, and practice change. METHODS: The evaluation used a mixed-methods retrospective pre-post design involving surveys and review of documents such as teams' final reports. Online surveys collecting both quantitative and qualitative data were deployed at four time points (after both workshops, 6 months into implementation, and at the end of the 2-year funded projects) to measure KT capacity (knowledge, skills, and confidence) and impact on practice change. Qualitative data was analyzed using a general inductive approach and quantitative data was analyzed using non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: Participants reported statistically significant increases in knowledge and confidence across both workshops, at the 6-month mark of their projects, and at the end of their projects. In addition, at the 6-month check-in, practitioners reported statistically significant improvements in their ability to implement practice changes. In the first cohort of the program, of the teams who were able to complete their projects, half were able to show demonstrable practice changes. CONCLUSIONS: The KT Challenge was successful in improving the capacity of HCPs to implement evidence-based practice changes and has begun to show demonstrable improvements in a number of practice areas. The program is relevant to a variety of HCPs working in diverse practice settings and is relatively inexpensive to implement. Like all practice improvement programs in health care settings, a number of challenges emerged stemming from the high turnover of staff and the limited capacity of some practitioners to take on anything beyond direct patient care. Efforts to address these challenges have been added to subsequent cohorts of the program and ongoing evaluation will examine if they are successful. The KT Challenge program has continued to garner great interest among practitioners, even in the midst of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, and shows promise for organizations looking for better ways to mobilize knowledge to improve patient care and empower staff. This study contributes to the implementation science literature by providing a description and evaluation of a new model for embedding KT practice skills in health care settings.

Arm crank ergometer "spin" training improves seated balance and aerobic capacity in people with spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND: There is some evidence that upper-body training modalities can improve not only aerobic capacity but also seated balance in people with spinal cord injury (SCI), even in those classified with motor-complete paralysis above T6. Here, we evaluated the effect of arm crank ergometry (ACE) "spin" training on trunk muscle recruitment and its effects on seated balance and aerobic capacity. METHODS: Eight individuals with high-level complete and 6 with either a low-level complete or a motor-incomplete SCI participated in this study. Participants completed 5 weeks of a group ACE "spin" training protocol which featured modulations in cadence and resistance as well as back-supported and unsupported bouts. Surface electromyography was used to confirm trunk muscle recruitment during unsupported ACE. Changes in aerobic capacity (peak oxygen consumption) and seated balance control (center of pressure parameters) were assessed at pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Unsupported ACE was effective for eliciting trunk muscle activity (P < .05). Following training, peak oxygen consumption significantly improved by an average of 16% (P = .005). Static sitting balance significantly improved from pre- to post-intervention, but only when tested with eyes closed as measured by a reduction in area (P = .047) and velocity of center of pressure (P = .013). No significant changes were observed in static sitting balance with eyes open or in dynamic sitting balance. CONCLUSION: Group ACE "spin" classes may benefit not only aerobic fitness but also static seated balance control in people with SCI.

Acquisition of a precision walking skill and the impact of proprioceptive deficits in people with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury.

Many people with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (m-iSCI) experience difficulty navigating obstacles, such as curbs and stairs. The ability to relearn walking skills may be limited by proprioceptive deficits. The purpose of this study was to determine the capacity of participants to acquire a precision walking skill, and to evaluate the influence of proprioceptive deficits on the skill acquisition in individuals with m-iSCI. Sixteen individuals with m-iSCI and eight controls performed a precision walking task that required matching their foot height to a target during the swing phase. Proprioceptive deficits were quantified at the hip and knee for joint position and movement detection sense. Participants completed 600 steps of training with visual feedback. Pretraining and posttraining tests were conducted without visual feedback, along with a transfer test with an ankle weight. Posttraining and transfer tests were repeated 1 day later. Participants returned to the laboratory 1 wk later to repeat the training. Performance was calculated as the vertical distance between the target and actual foot height for each step. The posttraining and transfer performances were similar between groups. However, participants with m-iSCI had a slower rate of acquisition to achieve a similar performance level compared with controls. Acquisition rate and posttraining performance of the precision walking task were related to lower limb joint position sense among SCI participants. Although they can achieve a similar level of performance in a precision walking task, proprioceptive deficits impair the rate of learning among individuals with m-iSCI compared with able-bodied controls. NEW & NOTEWORTHY People with motor-incomplete spinal cord injuries are able to achieve the same level of performance accuracy on a precision walking task as able-bodied controls; however, the rate of learning is slower, indicating that more practice is required to stabilize performance. Our findings also show a relationship between impaired sensory function and reduced accuracy when performing a precision walking task after spinal cord injury.

Overground walking with a robotic exoskeleton elicits trunk muscle activity in people with high-thoracic motor-complete spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND: The trunk muscles are critical for postural control. Recent neurophysiological studies have revealed sparing of trunk muscle function in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) classified with thoracic or cervical motor-complete injuries. These findings raise the possibility for recruiting and retraining this spared trunk function through rehabilitation. Robotic gait training devices may provide a means to promote trunk muscle activation. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize and compare the activation of the trunk muscles during walking with two robotic gait training devices (Ekso and Lokomat) in people with high thoracic motor-complete SCI. METHODS: Participants with chronic motor-complete paraplegia performed 3 speed-matched walking conditions: Lokomat-assisted walking, Ekso-assisted walking overground, and Ekso-assisted walking on a treadmill. Surface electromyography (EMG) signals were recorded bilaterally from the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and erector spinae (ES) muscles. RESULTS: Greater recruitment of trunk muscle EMG was elicited with Ekso-assisted walking compared to the Lokomat. Similar levels of trunk EMG activation were observed between Ekso overground and Ekso on the treadmill, indicating that differences between Ekso and Lokomat could not be attributed to the use of a hand-held gait aid. The level of trunk EMG activation during Lokomat walking was not different than that recorded during quiescent supine lying. CONCLUSIONS: Ekso-assisted walking elicits greater activation of trunk muscles compared to Lokomat-assisted walking, even after controlling for the use of hand-held assistive devices. The requirement of the Ekso for lateral weight-shifting in order to activate each step could lead to better postural muscle activation.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of task-specific rehabilitation interventions for improving independent sitting and standing function in spinal cord injury.

CONTEXT: Impaired balance function after a spinal cord injury (SCI) hinders performance of daily activities. OBJECTIVE: To assess the evidence on the effectiveness of task-specific training on sitting and standing function in individuals with SCI across the continuum of care. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on literature published to June 2016 using people (acute or chronic SCI), task-specific interventions compared to conventional physical therapy, and outcome (sitting or standing balance function). The PEDro scale was used to investigate the susceptibility to bias and trial quality of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A standardized mean difference (SMD) was conducted to investigate the effect size for interventions with sitting or standing balance outcomes. RESULTS: Nineteen articles were identified; three RCTs, two prospective controlled trials, one cross-over study, nine pre-post studies and four prospective cohort studies. RCT and cross-over studies were rated from 6 to 8 indicating good quality on the PEDro scale. The SMD of task-specific interventions in sitting compared to active and inactive (no training) control groups was -0.09 (95% CI: -0.663 to 0.488) and 0.39 (95% CI: -0.165 to 0.937) respectively, indicating that the addition of task-specific exercises did not affect sit and reach test performance significantly. Similarly, the addition of BWS training did not significantly affect BBS compared to conventional physical therapy -0.36 (95% CI: -0.840 to 0.113). Task-specific interventions reported in uncontrolled trials revealed positive effects on sitting and standing balance function. CONCLUSION: Few RCT studies provided balance outcomes, and those that were evaluated indicate negligible effect sizes. Given the importance of balance control underpinning all aspects of daily activities, there is a need for further research to evaluate specific features of training interventions to improve both sitting and standing balance function in SCI.

Overground vs. treadmill-based robotic gait training to improve seated balance in people with motor-complete spinal cord injury: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Robotic overground gait training devices, such as the Ekso, require users to actively participate in triggering steps through weight-shifting movements. It remains unknown how much the trunk muscles are activated during these movements, and if it is possible to transfer training effects to seated balance control. This study was conducted to compare the activity of postural control muscles of the trunk during overground (Ekso) vs. treadmill-based (Lokomat) robotic gait training, and evaluate changes in seated balance control in people with high-thoracic motor-complete spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Three individuals with motor-complete SCI from C7-T4, assumed to have no voluntary motor function below the chest, underwent robotic gait training. The participants were randomly assigned to Ekso-Lokomat-Ekso or Lokomat-Ekso-Lokomat for 10 sessions within each intervention phase for a total of 30 sessions. We evaluated static and dynamic balance control through analysis of center of pressure (COP) movements after each intervention phase. Surface electromyography was used to compare activity of the abdominal and erector spinae muscles during Ekso and Lokomat walking. RESULTS: We observed improved postural stability after training with Ekso compared to Lokomat during static balance tasks, indicated by reduced COP root mean square distance and ellipse area. In addition, Ekso training increased total distance of COP movements during a dynamic balance task. The trunk muscles showed increased activation during Ekso overground walking compared to Lokomat walking. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the Ekso actively recruits trunk muscles through postural control mechanisms, which may lead to improved balance during sitting. Developing effective training strategies to reactivate the trunk muscles is important to facilitate independence during seated balance activity in people with SCI.

The relationship between lower limb proprioceptive sense and locomotor skill acquisition.

Sensorimotor integration is essential for controlling movement and acquiring new motor tasks in humans. The aim of this project was to understand how lower limb proprioceptive sense contributes to the acquisition of a skilled walking task. We assessed lower limb joint position and movement detection sense in healthy human subjects using the Lokomat robotic exoskeleton. Subjects walked on a treadmill to practice a skilled motor task (200 trials) requiring them to match their foot height during the swing phase to the height of a virtual obstacle displayed on a monitor in front of them. Subjects were given visual feedback on their error relative to the obstacle height after it was crossed. Lower limb joint position sense was related to the final performance error, but not the learning rate of the skilled walking task. The findings from this study support the role of lower limb proprioceptive sense on locomotor skill performance in healthy adult subjects.

Quantification of Lower Extremity Kinesthesia Deficits Using a Robotic Exoskeleton in People With a Spinal Cord Injury.

BACKGROUND: Our ability to sense movement is essential for motor control; however, the impact of kinesthesia deficits on functional recovery is not well monitored in the spinal cord injury (SCI) population. One problem is the lack of accurate and reliable tools to measure kinesthesia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish the validity and reliability of a quantitative robotic assessment tool to measure lower limb kinesthesia in people with SCI. METHODS: Seventeen individuals with an incomplete SCI and 17 age-matched controls completed 2 robotic-based assessments of lower limb kinesthesia sense, separated by at least 1 week. The Lokomat, a lower limb robotic exoskeleton, was used to quantify the movement detection score bilaterally for the hip and knee joints. Four passive movement speeds (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 deg/s) were applied in both flexion and extension directions. Participants responded via pressing a joystick button when movement was felt. RESULTS: The movement detection score was significantly greater in people with SCI compared with the control group, particularly at the slowest movement speed. The difference between groups was more pronounced among those classified as ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) Impairment Scale B. Our measure showed high test-retest reliability and good internal consistency for the hip and knee joints. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that lower limb kinesthesia deficits are common in the SCI population and highlighted the importance of valid and reliable tools to monitor sensory function. Future studies need to examine changes in sensory function in response to therapy.

Short-term cortical plasticity associated with feedback-error learning after locomotor training in a patient with incomplete spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: For rehabilitation strategies to be effective, training should be based on principles of motor learning, such as feedback-error learning, that facilitate adaptive processes in the nervous system by inducing errors and recalibration of sensory and motor systems. This case report suggests that locomotor resistance training can enhance somatosensory and corticospinal excitability and modulate resting-state brain functional connectivity in a patient with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). CASE DESCRIPTION: The short-term cortical plasticity of a 31-year-old man who had sustained an incomplete SCI 9.5 years previously was explored in response to body-weight-supported treadmill training with velocity-dependent resistance applied with a robotic gait orthosis. The following neurophysiological and neuroimaging measures were recorded before and after training. Sensory evoked potentials were elicited by electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve and recorded from the somatosensory cortex. Motor evoked potentials were generated with transcranial magnetic stimulation applied over the tibialis anterior muscle representation in the primary motor cortex. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed to evaluate short-term changes in patterns of brain activity associated with locomotor training. OUTCOMES: Somatosensory excitability and corticospinal excitability were observed to increase after locomotor resistance training. Motor evoked potentials increased (particularly at higher stimulation intensities), and seed-based resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging analyses revealed increased functional connectivity strength in the motor cortex associated with the less affected side after training. DISCUSSION: The observations suggest evidence of short-term cortical plasticity in 3 complementary neurophysiological measures after one session of locomotor resistance training. Future investigation in a sample of people with incomplete SCI will enhance the understanding of potential neural mechanisms underlying the behavioral response to locomotor resistance training.

Neuromuscular control of curved walking in people with stroke: Case report.

People are required to adapt their basic walking pattern to turn and change directions safely for activities of daily living. This case study describes the changes in neuromuscular control among individuals with stroke on walking paths of different curvatures. Two men with hemiparetic stroke and one control subject walked along a straight, wide curved, and tight curved pathway while muscle activation of the medial and lateral gastrocnemius was recorded, along with the trajectory of the center of pressure (COP) during the single support phase. Balance, sensorimotor control, and functional ambulation were also evaluated. The subject with greater lower-limb sensorimotor impairment displayed a larger difference in the anterior-posterior COP displacement between limbs, which exacerbated as the path curvature increased. In addition, while the control subject demonstrated a lateral shift in the medial-lateral COP position, this person was unable to adapt the COP position on the nonparetic side. The second participant with a stroke demonstrated better balance and lateral shifting of the COP position. Modulation of the COP trajectory is required to safely perform curved walking. Further study is required to confirm the role of stroke-related gait deficits in the ability to adapt to curved walking.

Feasibility of sensory tongue stimulation combined with task-specific therapy in people with spinal cord injury: a case study.

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence suggests the effects of task-specific therapy can be further enhanced when sensory stimulation is combined with motor practice. Sensory tongue stimulation is thought to facilitate activation of regions in the brain that are important for balance and gait. Improvements in balance and gait have significant implications for functional mobility for people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). The aim of this case study was to evaluate the feasibility of a lab- and home-based program combining sensory tongue stimulation with balance and gait training on functional outcomes in people with iSCI. METHODS: Two male participants (S1 and S2) with chronic motor iSCI completed 12 weeks of balance and gait training (3 lab and 2 home based sessions per week) combined with sensory tongue stimulation using the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS). Laboratory based training involved 20 minutes of standing balance with eyes closed and 30 minutes of body-weight support treadmill walking. Home based sessions consisted of balancing with eyes open and walking with parallel bars or a walker for up to 20 minutes each. Subjects continued daily at-home training for an additional 12 weeks as follow-up. RESULTS: Both subjects were able to complete a minimum of 83% of the training sessions. Standing balance with eyes closed increased from 0.2 to 4.0 minutes and 0.0 to 0.2 minutes for S1 and S2, respectively. Balance confidence also improved at follow-up after the home-based program. Over ground walking speed improved by 0.14 m/s for S1 and 0.07 m/s for S2, and skilled walking function improved by 60% and 21% for S1 and S2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory tongue stimulation combined with task-specific training may be a feasible method for improving balance and gait in people with iSCI. Our findings warrant further controlled studies to determine the added benefits of sensory tongue stimulation to rehabilitation training.

Spatial-temporal gait variability poststroke: variations in measurement and implications for measuring change.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the responsiveness to change of spatial-temporal gait parameters among stroke survivors for 3 different variability measures: SD, coefficient of variation (CV), and median absolute deviation (MAD). DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Clinical laboratory in a Canadian hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Stroke survivors (N=74) receiving inpatient rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Spatial-temporal gait variability was calculated for step length, step width, stance time, swing time, and double support time. Responsiveness to change was determined by comparing (1) trials without versus trials with a concurrent cognitive task and (2) admission to discharge from rehabilitation. RESULTS: Variability estimators (SD, CV, and MAD) increased with the addition of a cognitive task and decreased from admission to discharge of rehabilitation. However, these changes were not statistically significant when change in gait velocity was included as a covariate. The effect size values were similar for all variability estimators with a trend toward a greater SD response to temporal parameters. The CV displayed a larger response to change for step length than did the SD and MAD. Although gait variability decreased between admission and discharge, the effect size was larger for the condition without the cognitive task than for the condition with the cognitive task. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that gait variability estimators demonstrate a similar responsiveness to a concurrent cognitive task and improved walking ability with recovery from stroke. Future work may focus on evaluating the clinical utility of these measures in relation to informing therapy and response to gait-specific training protocols.

Correlations between ankle-foot impairments and dropped foot gait deviations among stroke survivors.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this paper is to 1) evaluate the relationship between ankle kinematics during gait and standardized measures of ankle impairments among sub-acute stroke survivors, and 2) compare the degree of stroke-related ankle impairment between individuals with and without dropped foot gait deviations. METHODS: Fifty-five independently ambulating stroke survivors participated in this study. Dropped foot was defined as decreased peak dorsiflexion during the swing phase and reduced ankle joint motion in stance. Standardized outcome measures included the Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment (motor impairment), Modified Ashworth Scale (spasticity), Medical Research Council (muscle strength), passive and active range of motion, and isometric muscle force. FINDINGS: Foot impairment was not related to peak dorsiflexion during swing (r=-0.17, P=0.247) and joint motion during stance (r=0.05, P=0.735). Active (r=0.45, P<0.001) and passive (r=0.48, P<0.001) range of motion was associated with stance phase joint motion. Peak dorsiflexion during swing was related to isometric dorsiflexor muscle force (r=-0.32, P=0.039). Individuals with dropped foot demonstrated greater motor impairment, plantarflexor spasticity and ankle muscle weakness compared to those without dropped foot. INTERPRETATION: Our investigation suggests that ankle-foot impairments are related to ankle deviations during gait, as indicated by greater impairment among individuals with dropped foot. These findings contribute to a better understanding of gait-specific ankle deviations, and may lead to the development of a more effective clinical assessment of dropped foot impairment.

Ankle-foot orthotic management in neuromuscular disorders: recommendations for future research.

PURPOSE: To describe research evidence supporting clinical recommendations for ankle-foot orthotic (AFO) prescription and examine common limitations in current research among individuals with stroke and cerebral palsy. METHOD: Three databases and one journal website were searched for articles reporting AFO interventions on gait and functional mobility outcome measures in participants with stroke or cerebral palsy. The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) best practice recommendations from consensus conferences were reviewed. Data extracted from the articles include participant characteristics, AFO intervention details, evaluation methods, and outcome measures. RESULTS: Sixty articles were included; twenty-seven on stroke and thirty-three on cerebral palsy participants. Many articles reported insufficient detail on severity of lower limb impairment. Type of interventions included nineteen nonarticulating AFO studies, twelve articulating AFO studies and twenty-three studies testing both. Confounding factors, such as compliance, activity level and footwear, need to be considered in longitudinal studies. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies demonstrated improvement in walking speed and ankle dorsiflexion, whereas the indirect effect on knee stability remains unclear. Future research needs to provide detailed information on type and severity of lower limb impairment of participants and design features of the AFO intervention.

Inter-limb centre of pressure symmetry during gait among stroke survivors.

The purpose of the present study was to describe the spatial-temporal parameters of the centre of pressure (COP) trajectory during the single-support phase of gait among stroke survivors and relate these parameters to the severity of sensorimotor impairment. Fifty-seven participants were asked to walk at their preferred and fast speed over a pressure sensitive mat. Outcome measures included anterior-posterior (AP) COP displacement, AP-COP velocity, medial-lateral (ML) COP variability and foot region COP time. The results demonstrated an asymmetrical AP-COP displacement in favour of the non-paretic limb for the majority of participants. The inter-limb difference scores for AP-COP displacement and AP-COP velocity were related to the severity of sensorimotor impairment and greater among gait aid users. ML-COP variability was greater under the non-paretic limb, possibly suggesting difficulty with paretic limb swing phase. Reduced or absent forefoot COP time suggests difficulty with forward progression and modified foot function during push-off. The inter-limb difference in COP parameters highlights the asymmetrical nature of post-stroke gait and the challenge of maintaining single limb support. We view this information as potentially important to clinicians as an outcome measure for gait rehabilitation.