Development and content validity of the caregiver assisted transfer technique instrument.

Informal caregivers often provide transfer assistance to individuals with disabilities; however, repeated transfers are associated with a high risk of musculoskeletal pain and injury, and training and education around transfers is minimal. The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the content validity of a new tool, the Caregiver Assisted Transfer Technique Instrument (CATT), which could be used to provide an objective indicator of transfer performance. Item importance, clarity, and appropriateness of responses were rated on a five-point Likert scale by clinicians (n = 15), informal caregivers (n = 10), and individuals with spinal cord injury (n = 5). The content validity index and modified Kappa of each item was calculated. Participants also provided qualitative feedback on item content. In general, items were rated favorably for their importance (4.47 to 5.00), clarity (4.33 to 4.90), and appropriateness of responses (4.38 to 4.90), and most items had excellent content validity (k* ≥ 0.75). Feedback from participants led to the creation of two versions of the CATT: one for manual lifting techniques (CATT-M) and one for transfers performed via lift-based technologies (CATT-L). Future work will focus on establishing the reliability and validity of the CATT as well as developing training and education interventions surrounding assisted transfers.

Residential Mobility and Reasons for Moving Among People Living With Spinal Cord Injury: Results of a Multisite Survey Study.

Background: Residential mobility after spinal cord injury (SCI) has not been extensively examined despite a growing interest in investigating the relationship between neighborhood exposures and community living outcomes. Objectives: This study explores residential mobility patterns, the annual move rate, and reasons for moving among a community-living sample of adults with SCI. Methods: A survey was conducted with 690 people at six SCI Model Systems centers in the United States between July 2017 and October 2020. The outcomes included move status in the past 12 months, move distance, and the primary reason for moving. A sample from the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year pooled estimates was obtained for comparative analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the distributions of the outcomes and differences between the samples. Results: The annual move rate for adults with SCI was 16.4%, and most moves were within the same county (56.6%). Recent movers were more likely to be young adults, be newly injured, and have low socioeconomic status. Housing quality, accessibility, and family were more frequently reported motivations for moving compared to employment. Young adults more commonly moved for family and accessibility, whereas middle-aged adults more commonly moved for housing quality. No notable difference was observed in the annual move rate between the SCI and the general population samples. Conclusion: These findings suggest an age-related pattern of residential relocation after SCI, which may be indicative an extended search for optimal living conditions that meet the housing and accessibility needs of this population.

RESNA position on the application of ultralight manual wheelchairs.

The purpose of this RESNA Position Paper is to provide evidence from the literature and share typical clinical applications supporting the application of ultralight manual wheelchairs (ULWCs) to assist practitioners in decision-making and justification of wheelchair recommendations.

Reliability of home-based remote and self-assessment of transfers using the Transfer Assessment Instrument among wheelchair users with spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability of home-based remote and self-assessment of transfer quality using the Transfer Assessment Instrument (TAI) among wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Participant's home environment. METHODS: Eighteen wheelchair users with SCI transferred from their wheelchair to a surface of their choice (bed, sofa, or bench) in their homes. During a live video conference, the transfer was recorded and evaluated live using the TAI (rater 1). Participants completed a self-assessment of their transfer using the TAI- questionnaire (TAI-Q). Two additional raters (raters 2 & 3) completed asynchronous assessments by watching recorded videos. Interrater reliability was assessed using Intraclass Coefficient Correlations (ICC) to compare rater 1 with the average of raters 2 & 3 and TAI-Q. Intrarater reliability was assessed by rater 1 completing another TAI by watching the recorded videos after a 4-week delay. Assessments were compared using paired sample t-tests and level of agreement between TAI scores was evaluated using Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: Moderate to good interrater and good intrarater reliability were found for the total TAI score with ICCs: 0.57-0.90 and 0.90, respectively. Moderate to good intrarater and interrater reliability were found for all TAI subscores (ICC: 0.60-0.94) except for interrater reliability of flight/landing which was poor (ICC: 0.20). Bland-Altman plots indicate no systematic bias related to the measurement of error. CONCLUSIONS: The TAI is a reliable outcome measure for assessing the wheelchair and body setup phases of home-based transfers remotely and through self-assessment among individuals with SCI.

Clinical utility during inpatient rehabilitation of a clinical prediction rule for ambulation prognosis following spinal cord injury.

Objective: Mobility prognosis is a key focus during rehabilitation following spinal cord injury (SCI). The goal of this study was to prospectively evaluate the clinical utility of the van Middendorp clinical prediction rule (CPR).Design: Observational studySetting: Inpatient rehabilitation unitParticipants: Physical therapists and their patients with acute SCI and SCI disorders (SCI/D) for whom long-term ambulation prognosis was judged difficult to determine.Interventions: N/AOutcome Measures: CPR-determined probability of ambulation, therapist reported clinical utility (yes/no), shared with the patient (yes/no), useful for motivation/setting realistic expectations, and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) Locomotion walk score.Results: Five therapists and 52 patients (8 non-traumatic SCI/D) participated. 91% had lesions classified as AIS C or D. The median [IQR] for CPR probability of ambulation was 96.0 [86.5,99.0] for traumatic SCI and 80.0 [64.5, 94.5] for non-traumatic SCI/D. Clinical utility was reported for 45% of those with SCI and 88% with non-traumatic SCI/D. Therapists with less experience were more likely to report clinical utility and share with their patients. Ambulation probability was higher for patients who did not meet their FIM goal. CPR probability was correlated with discharge FIM only for non-traumatic SCI/D.Conclusion: The CPR was not predictive of inpatient rehabilitation outcomes, in fact outcomes varied widely for individuals with similar probabilities emphasizing the importance of clinical judgement and continued need to identify individual factors that affect ambulation. However, greater utility in establishing prognosis and goal setting was noted for clinicians with less experience and for individuals with non-traumatic SCI/D.

Limb accelerations during sleep are related to measures of strength, sensation, and spasticity among individuals with spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the relationship between measures of neuromuscular impairment and limb accelerations (LA) collected during sleep among individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) to provide evidence of construct and concurrent validity for LA as a clinically meaningful measure. METHODS: The strength (lower extremity motor score), sensation (summed lower limb light touch scores), and spasticity (categorized lower limb Modified Ashworth Scale) were measured from 40 adults with chronic (≥ 1 year) SCI. Demographics, pain, sleep quality, and other covariate or confounding factors were measured using self-report questionnaires. Each participant then wore ActiGraph GT9X Link accelerometers on their ankles and wrist continuously for 1-5 days to measure LA from movements during sleep. Regression models with built-in feature selection were used to determine the most relevant LA features and the association to each measure of impairment. RESULTS: LA features were related to measures of impairment with models explaining 69% and 73% of the variance (R²) in strength and sensation, respectively, and correctly classifying 81.6% (F1-score = 0.814) of the participants into spasticity categories. The most commonly selected LA features included measures of power and frequency (frequency domain), movement direction (correlation between axes), consistency between movements (relation to recent movements), and wavelet energy (signal characteristics). Rolling speed (change in angle of inclination) and movement smoothness (median crossings) were uniquely associated with strength. When LA features were included, an increase of 72% and 222% of the variance was explained for strength and sensation scores, respectively, and there was a 34% increase in spasticity classification accuracy compared to models containing only covariate features such as demographics, sleep quality, and pain. CONCLUSION: LA features have shown evidence of having construct and concurrent validity, thus demonstrating that LA are a clinically-relevant measure related to lower limb strength, sensation, and spasticity after SCI. LA may be useful as a more detailed measure of impairment for applications such as clinical prediction models for ambulation.

Medical, dental, and optical care utilization among community-living people with spinal cord injury in the United States.

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVE: Information about patterns of healthcare utilization for people living with spinal cord injury (SCI) is currently limited, and this is needed to understand independent community living after SCI. This study investigates self-reported healthcare utilization among community-living people with SCI and assesses disparities across demographic, socioeconomic, and injury-related subgroups. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data administered via telephone interview. SETTING: 6 SCI Model Systems centers in the United States (California, Colorado, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania). PARTICIPANTS: Adults with chronic, traumatic SCI who were community-living for at least one year after the completion of an inpatient rehabilitation program (N = 617). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. OUTCOME MEASURES: Utilization of a usual source of 4 types of health care in the past 12 months: primary, SCI, dental, and optical. RESULTS: 84% of participants reported utilizing primary care in the past year. More than half reported utilizing SCI (54%) and dental (57%) care, and 36% reported utilizing optical care. There were no significant differences across key subgroups in the utilization of primary care. Participants who had been injured for 5 years or less and participants with greater educational attainment were more likely to report utilizing SCI care. Participants with higher household income levels were more likely to report using dental care. Female participants and older age groups were more likely to report using optical care. CONCLUSION: Rates of healthcare utilization among people with SCI are below recommended rates and vary across demographic, socioeconomic, and injury-related subgroups. This information can inform future research to target barriers to using healthcare services among community-living people with SCI.

Type and frequency of wheelchair repairs and resulting adverse consequences among veteran wheelchair users.

PURPOSE: Investigate the type and frequency of wheelchair repairs and resulting adverse consequences in a Veteran population. DESIGN: Convenience cross-sectional sample survey. SETTING: Data were collected at the 2017 National Veterans Wheelchair Games. PARTICIPANTS: Veterans who use a wheelchair ≥ 40 h/wk (n = 60). INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Repairs and associated adverse consequences, wheelchair age and usage, type of repairs completed, time elapsed between breakdowns and repairs, and who completed repairs. RESULTS: 60 participants reported 124 repairs in the previous 6 months with 88.3% of participants requiring at least one repair. Consequences were reported by 43.5% of those experiencing repairs and were most commonly secondary to repairs in the electrical system, wheelchair frame, power/control system, and wheels and casters. Travelling greater distances during the week and on weekends was associated with increased rates of repairs (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively) and consequences (p = 0.03 and p = 0.03, respectively). Power wheelchairs were more likely to require repairs than manual wheelchairs (p = 0.007). The median time to repair was 7 [0.8,30] days. Vendors completed 82.1% of the repairs. Those experiencing longer repair times were more likely to experience adverse consequences (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A high number of repairs and resulting adverse consequences occur for wheelchair users, particularly power wheelchair users, in a sample of Veterans. Interventions to prevent breakdowns and to address repairs and adverse consequences in a time-efficient manner are needed.Implications for rehabilitationIn a sample of Veterans, a high number of repairs and resulting adverse consequences occur for wheelchair users, particularly power wheelchair users.There is an important clinical opportunity to help wheelchair users avoid repairs in the first place and reduce adverse consequences after breakdowns occur by improving wheelchair quality, providing preventative chair maintenance, and repairing breakdowns in a timely and efficient manner.These interventions may prove impactful in reducing the adverse medical, functional, and social consequences of wheelchair breakdowns.

Factors Influencing Incidence of Wheelchair Repairs and Consequences Among Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency and consequences of wheelchair repairs, looking at the relationship to usage, components, out-of-pocket costs, number of days affecting the user, and factors associated with the need for repairs or consequences. DESIGN: Survey, cross-sectional. SETTING: Nine spinal cord injury (SCI) Model Systems centers. PARTICIPANTS: Wheelchair users with SCI (N=533). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cost and incidence of wheelchair repairs and consequences and wheelchair usage within the past 6 months. RESULTS: A total of 310 participants (56%) reported repairs, 127 (42%) of whom experienced at least 1 adverse consequence lasting a median of 5 days (interquartile range [IQR], 2-17.3 days). Repair rates were highest for the seating system, electronics, and tires. Participants were most often stranded at home or forced to use a backup chair. Median out-of-pocket costs were $150 (IQR, $50-$620). Active users, based on type of mobility and terrain, experienced more repairs and consequences than less active users. Repairs were more common among those who were Black (odds ratio [OR], 2.42) or power wheelchair (PWC) users (OR, 1.84), whereas consequences were more common among those who were Black (OR, 2.27), PWC (OR, 2.08) or power assist users (OR, 2.76), and those who had public insurance (OR, 1.70). CONCLUSIONS: Wheelchair repairs continue to affect more than 50% of wheelchair users with significant financial and personal cost. High repair rates limited participation inside and outside of the home. Consequences lasted longer than 2 weeks for many and may be minimized by a working backup chair. Disparities exist based on participant and wheelchair factors; repairs and adverse consequences appear to hit those most vulnerable with the least financial resources. Costs may be a barrier to repair completion for some individuals. This ongoing problem of high repair rates and their associated effects requires action such as higher standards, access to quicker service, and better training of users on wheelchair maintenance and repair.

Using remote learning to teach clinicians manual wheelchair skills: a cohort study with pre- vs post-training comparisons.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that remote learning to teach clinicians manual wheelchair skills is efficacious. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A convenience sample of therapists (physical and occupational) and students were enrolled in pairs in a cohort study with pre- versus post-training comparisons. The intervention was a hybrid of self-study and hands-on practice paired with remote feedback for ten intermediate and advanced manual wheelchair skills. Participants practiced with self-selected frequency and duration, uploading a session log and video(s) to an online platform. A remote trainer provided asynchronous feedback prior to the next practice session. Capacity and confidence in completing the ten skills were evaluated using the Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q). Knowledge of wheelchair skills training and motor learning was assessed using a 62-item Knowledge Test. Secondary outcome measures included skill achievement, as confirmed by submitted video recordings, and participant feedback about the training. RESULTS: Across 41participants, scores were higher at follow-up compared to baseline for WST-Q capacity (73.9 ± 19.1 vs 16.8 ± 15.6, p < 0.001), WST-Q confidence (80.1 ± 12.2 vs 47.6 ± 18.2, p = 0.003) and knowledge (70.8 ± 7.5 vs 67.0 ± 5.4, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Remote learning can increase wheelchair skills capacity and confidence as well as knowledge about such training and assessment. This model should be further investigated as a delivery method for training rehabilitation professionals. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01807728.Implications for rehabilitationWheelchair skills training is one of the 8 steps of wheelchair provision as outlined by the World Health Organization.Wheelchair skills are not a core part of most clinical curriculums and many clinicians cite a lack of resources and uncertainty on how to implement wheelchair skills training into practice as major barriers to providing such training.Remote learning offers the benefits of structured wheelchair skills training with expert feedback on an individual's own schedule that is not afforded by one-day "bootcamp"-type courses or on-the-job training, which are how many clinicians currently learn wheelchair skills.In a sample of physical and occupational therapists and students, remote learning was effective at increasing capacity and confidence to perform manual wheelchair skills as well as knowledge of wheelchair training.

Efficacy of a Remote Train-the-Trainer Model for Wheelchair Skills Training Administered by Clinicians: A Cohort Study With Pre- vs Posttraining Comparisons.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypotheses that remote training improves trainer confidence and when these trainers train others the capacity and confidence of the trainees improves. DESIGN: Cohort study with pre- vs posttraining comparisons. SETTING: Four spinal cord injury model systems centers. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of 7 clinician trainers and 19 able-bodied trainees (N=26). INTERVENTIONS: Part 1 focused on trainer skill acquisition with self-study of the Wheelchair Skills Program Manual and instructional videos focused on motor learning, spotting, and 10 intermediate and advanced wheelchair skills. Trainers practiced in pairs, receiving asynchronous feedback on video recordings from a remote instructor. Part 2 included additional video modules targeted at "how to" assess and train others in 4 wheelchair skills: gets over obstacle, ascends low curb, ascends high curb with caregiver assistance, and performs stationary wheelie. Upon completion, the trainers each provided 1:1 in-person training for 2-3 trainees. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Trainer confidence was assessed using the Self-Efficacy on Assessing, Training, and Spotting Test for Manual Wheelchairs. Trainee capacity ("Can you do it?") and confidence ("How confident are you?") were evaluated using the Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q). RESULTS: Trainer confidence increased for assessment (P=.003) and training (P=.002) but not spotting (P=.056). Trainee 4-item median (interquartile range) WST-Q scores significantly increased with training for capacity (13% [6-31] to 88% [75-88], P<.001) and confidence (13% [0-31] to 88% [81-100], P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Remote training improves trainers' confidence with respect to wheelchair skills testing and training and the wheelchair skills capacity and confidence of their trainees.

Effectiveness of a Web-Based Direct-to-User Transfer Training Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a web-based, direct-to-user transfer training program in improving transfer quality and maintaining improvements for up to 1 month after training as compared with a control group. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with participants randomized to an immediate intervention group (IIG) or waitlist control group (WLCG) that received the training after a 6-month delay. SETTING: Wherever the participants accessed the web-based training, likely the home environment. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of full-time wheelchair users (N=72; IIG, n=34; WLCG, n=38 for between-group analysis, n=48 for combined within-group analysis) with spinal cord injury or disorder who were able to independently perform a lateral scoot transfer. INTERVENTIONS: Self-paced, web-based transfer training module. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Transfer Assessment Instrument Questionnaire (TAI-Q) score at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months postbaseline (WLCG only), immediately posttraining, and 1 month posttraining. The TAI-Q is an 18-item self-assessment that covers several aspects of a quality transfer. RESULTS: The IIG significantly increased particpants' baseline TAI-Q score from 6.91±0.98 to 7.79±1.12 (P<.001) by 1 month posttraining. The WLCG also increased from baseline to the 1-month postbaseline assessment (from 6.52±1.13 to 7.00±1.09; P=.014), potentially from learning effects secondary to self-assessment with the TAI-Q. The extent of change over time did not differ significantly between the IIG and WLCG from baseline to 1 month (P=.169). However, significant improvements in TAI-Q scores were still evident after the training for the WLCG (P<.001). Those with a lower pretraining TAI-Q score and more shoulder pain were most likely to benefit from the training. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated TAI-Q self-assessments likely contributed to improved transfer quality, with web-based training having an additive effect. Wheelchair users are likely to benefit from transfer training and self-assessment of transfer quality in their home environments. This has the potential to decrease injury risk while avoiding barriers to in-person training.

Effectiveness of Group Wheelchair Maintenance Training for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of group wheelchair maintenance training and investigate participant characteristics associated with responsiveness to training. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with an immediate group and a waitlist control group (WLCG) who received the intervention after a 6-month delay. SETTING: Four Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers. PARTICIPANTS: Manual (MWC; n=80) and power wheelchair (PWC; n=67) users with spinal cord injury (N=147). INTERVENTIONS: Two 90-minute structured wheelchair maintenance training program classes with 12-20 people per class and separate classes for MWC and PWC users. Each class included in-person hands-on demonstrations and practice of wheelchair maintenance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Separate analysis was completed for MWC and PWC users using the Wheelchair Maintenance Training Questionnaire (WMT-Q) capacity (ability to complete), performance (frequency of completion) and knowledge at baseline, 1 month, 6 months, 6 months pretraining (WLCG only), and 1 year (immediate only). RESULTS: After the intervention, participants in both the immediate and WLCG improved in maintenance capacity (MWC and PWC, P<.001) and performance (MWC and PWC, P<.001) with training. Only PWC users improved knowledge of wheelchair maintenance (P<.001). For both WLCGs (MWC and PWC), there was no difference between the 6-month pretraining time point and baseline. MWC users who responded to training had lower WMT-Q scores for all domains, whereas this was only the case for knowledge for PWC users. CONCLUSIONS: Group wheelchair skills training is effective at improving capacity to complete maintenance and performance of maintenance activities for MWC and PWC users, even in a cohort of experienced wheelchair users. For MWC users, improvements were tied to lower WMT-Q scores at baseline, whereas PWC users improved in capacity and performance independent of baseline score. Delivering this training in a structured group format has a lower cost, which might improve adoption into clinical practice.

Toward Improving the Prediction of Functional Ambulation After Spinal Cord Injury Through the Inclusion of Limb Accelerations During Sleep and Personal Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if functional measures of ambulation can be accurately classified using clinical measures; demographics; personal, psychosocial, and environmental factors; and limb accelerations (LAs) obtained during sleep among individuals with chronic, motor incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) in an effort to guide future, longitudinal predictions models. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, 1-5 days of data collection. SETTING: Community-based data collection. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with chronic (>1 year), motor incomplete SCI (N=27). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ambulatory ability based on the 10-m walk test (10MWT) or 6-minute walk test (6MWT) categorized as nonambulatory, household ambulator (0.01-0.44 m/s, 1-204 m), or community ambulator (>0.44 m/s, >204 m). A random forest model classified ambulatory ability using input features including clinical measures of strength, sensation, and spasticity; demographics; personal, psychosocial, and environmental factors including pain, environmental factors, health, social support, self-efficacy, resilience, and sleep quality; and LAs measured during sleep. Machine learning methods were used explicitly to avoid overfitting and minimize the possibility of biased results. RESULTS: The combination of LA, clinical, and demographic features resulted in the highest classification accuracies for both functional ambulation outcomes (10MWT=70.4%, 6MWT=81.5%). Adding LAs, personal, psychosocial, and environmental factors, or both increased the accuracy of classification compared with the clinical/demographic features alone. Clinical measures of strength and sensation (especially knee flexion strength), LA measures of movement smoothness, and presence of pain and comorbidities were among the most important features selected for the models. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of LA and personal, psychosocial, and environmental features increased functional ambulation classification accuracy in a population with incomplete SCI for whom improved prognosis for mobility outcomes is needed. These findings provide support for future longitudinal studies that use LA; personal, psychosocial, and environmental factors; and advanced analyses to improve clinical prediction rules for functional mobility outcomes.

Changes in Internet Use Over Time Among Individuals with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in total internet and mobile internet use over time and determine how demographic characteristics are related to changes in internet and mobile internet use among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of a multicenter cohort study. SETTING: National SCI Database. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with traumatic SCI with follow-up data collected between 2012 and 2018 (N=13,622). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of sample reporting internet use at all or through a mobile device over time and specifically in 2018. RESULTS: The proportion of internet users increased from 77.7% in 2012 to 88.1% in 2018. Older participants (P<.001); those with lower annual income (P<.001), less education (P<.001), non-White race or Hispanic ethnicity (P<.001), or motor incomplete tetraplegia (P=.004); and men (P=.035) were less likely to use the internet from 2012-2018. By 2018, there were no longer differences in internet use based on race and ethnicity (P=.290) or sex (P=.066). Mobile internet use increased each year (52.4% to 87.7% of internet users from 2012-2018), with a participant being 13.7 times more likely to use mobile internet in 2018 than 2012. Older age (P<.001), income <$50,000 (P<.001), high school diploma or less (P=.011), or non-Hispanic White race/ethnicity (P=.001) were associated with less mobile internet use over time. By 2018, there were no differences in mobile internet use by education (P=.430), and only participants with incomes >$75,000 per year had greater odds of mobile internet use (P=.016). CONCLUSIONS: Disparities associated with internet access are decreasing likely as a result of mobile device use. Increased internet access offers an important opportunity to provide educational and training materials to frequently overlooked groups of individuals with SCI.

Intra- and Interrater Reliability of Remote Assessment of Transfers by Wheelchair Users Using the Transfer Assessment Instrument (Version 4.0).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability, standard error of measurement, minimum detectable change, and item-level consistency of the Transfer Assessment Instrument (TAI) version 4.0 when used to evaluate transfer quality remotely. DESIGN: Participants transferred from their wheelchair to a mat table (transfer 1), repeated this after a 10-minute delay to assess intrarater reliability (transfer 2), and repeated this 1-2 days later to assess test-retest reliability (transfer 3). Each transfer was scored in person by 4 raters and asynchronously by a remote clinician rater. SETTING: 2017 National Veterans Wheelchair Games. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of 44 full-time wheelchair users (N=44). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: TAI total score, subscores (wheelchair setup, body setup, flight/landing), and item scores (15 items). RESULTS: Moderate to excellent reliability was found when scoring remotely for TAI total and subscores for intrarater (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC(3,1)=0.687-0.854), test-retest (ICC(3,1)=0.695-0.836), and interrater reliability (ICC(3,5)=0.746-0.962). Remote rater total score and flight/landing subscore were greater (indicating higher transfer quality) compared to the average in-person raters (P=.021 and P=.005, respectively). There were no differences between transfers 1-3 in remote rater scores. Item-level percentage agreement between the remote rater and in-person exceeded the 75% cutoff for clinical utility for all items. CONCLUSIONS: The TAI is a reliable outcome measure for assessing transfer technique remotely.

Characterizing the Experience of Spasticity after Spinal Cord Injury: A National Survey Project of the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the qualities that individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) associate with their experience of spasticity and to describe the relationship between spasticity and perceived quality of life and the perceived value of spasticity management approaches. DESIGN: Online cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Multicenter collaboration among 6 Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems hospitals in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with SCI (N=1076). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Qualities of Spasticity Questionnaire, modified Spinal Cord Injury-Spasticity Evaluation Tool (mSCI-SET), and the modified Patient-Reported Impact of Spasticity Measure (mPRISM). RESULTS: Respondents indicated that spasms most often occurred in response to movement-related triggering events. However, spontaneous spasms (ie, no triggering event) were also reported to be among the most common types. Frequency of spasms appears to decline with age. The highest frequency of spasms was reported by 56% of respondents aged <25 years and by only 28% of those >55 years. Stiffness associated with spasticity was reported to be more common than spasms (legs, 65% vs 54%; trunk, 33% vs 18%; arms, 26% vs 15%). Respondents reported negative effects of spasticity more commonly than positive effects. Based on their association with negative scores on the mSCI-SET and the mPRISM, the 5 most problematic experiences reported were stiffness all day, interference with sleep, painful spasms, perceived link between spasticity and pain, and intensification of pain before a spasm. Respondents indicated spasticity was improved more by stretching (48%) and exercise (45%) than by antispasmodics (38%). CONCLUSIONS: The experience of spasticity after SCI is complex and multidimensional, with consequences that affect mobility, sleep, comfort, and quality of life. Stiffness, rather than spasms, appears to be the most problematic characteristic of spasticity. Physical therapeutic interventions to treat spasticity warrant in-depth investigation.

Development and efficacy of an online wheelchair maintenance training program for wheelchair personnel.

OBJECTIVES: To develop an online version of the wheelchair maintenance training program (WMTP) and compare learning outcomes from the in-person and online programs using the wheelchair maintenance training questionnaire (WMT-Q), administered before and after the intervention. DESIGN: Iterative development of an online version of the WMTP and implementation. SETTING: Online. PARTICIPANTS: 26 graduate and undergraduate students. INTERVENTION: Web-based training. These results are compared with those from another study of the in-person WMTP with 10 participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Feedback survey and WMT-Q. RESULTS: The training program was well-received and valued by all 26 participants. A significant increase in all scores after the online training program was found, based on pre-/post-intervention scores. In manual wheelchair open-ended questions, knowledge increased from 16% to 21%, p < .05; in power wheelchair open-ended questions, from 9% to 31%, p < .05; in multiple-choice questions related to knowledge, from 27% to 59%, p < .05; confidence increased from 8% to 80%, p < .05; and capacity from 12% to 88%, p < .05. There was no statistical difference in WMT-Q scores between individuals who participated in the in-person and online programs. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that there was a similar-increased knowledge for participants, indicating that web-based training may be a viable approach for delivering maintenance training.

The effect of age and injury severity on clinical prediction rules for ambulation among individuals with spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: While several models for predicting independent ambulation early after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) based upon age and specific motor and sensory level findings have been published and validated, their accuracy, especially in individual American Spinal Injury Association [ASIA] Impairment Scale (AIS) classifications, has been questioned. Further, although age is widely used in prediction rules, its role and possible modifications have not been adequately evaluated until now. PURPOSE: To evaluate the predictive accuracy of existing clinical prediction rules for independent ambulation among individuals at spinal cord injury model systems (SCIMS) Centers as well as the effect of modifying the age parameter from a cutoff of 65 years to 50 years. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a longitudinal database. PATIENT SAMPLE: Adult individuals with traumatic SCI. OUTCOME MEASURES: The FIM locomotor score was used to assess independent walking ability at the 1-year follow-up. METHODS: In all, 639 patients were enrolled in the SCIMS database between 2011 and 2015, with complete neurological examination data within 15 days following the injury and a follow-up assessment with functional independence measure (FIM) at 1-year post injury. Two previously validated logistic regression models were evaluated for their ability to predict independent walking at 1-year post injury with participants in the SCIMS database. Area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was calculated for the individual AIS categories and for different age groups. Prediction accuracy was also calculated for a new modified LR model (with cut-off age of 50). RESULTS: Overall AUC for each of the previous prediction models was found to be consistent with previous reports (0.919 and 0.904). AUCs for grouped AIS levels (A+D, B+C) were consistent with prior reports, moreover, prediction for individual AIS grades continued to reveal lower values. AUCs by different age categories showed a decline in prognostication accuracy with an increase in age, with statistically significant improvement of AUC when age-cut off was reduced to 50. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed previous results that former prediction models achieve strong prognostic accuracy by combining AIS subgroups, yet prognostication of the separate AIS groups is less accurate. Further, prognostication of persons with AIS B+C, for whom a clinical prediction model has arguably greater clinical utility, is less accurate than those with AIS A+D. Our findings emphasize that age is an important factor in prognosticating ambulation following SCI. Prediction accuracy declines for older individuals compared with younger ones. To improve prediction of independent ambulation, the age of 50 years may be a better cutoff instead of age of 65.