Hombres (1950) de Fred Zinnemann: paraplejía y principales protagonistas en la rehabilitación de una discapacidad / The Men (1950) by Fred Zinnemann: Paraplegia and main protagonists in the rehabilitation of a disability

Hombres (1950) de Fred Zinnemann y protagonizada por Marlon Brando, es una película que cuenta la historia del teniente Ken Wilcott, quien sufre de paraplejía producto de una herida de bala en la espalda cuando se encontraba de servicio en la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Con la ayuda del Dr. Brock y su prometida Ellen logra sobreponerse a su discapacidad e iniciar su proceso de aceptación y rehabilitación. A través del filme se puede apreciar el proceso que padecen los pacientes con alguna discapacidad, desde la negación y depresión hasta finalmente aceptar su discapacidad y proponerse a establecer un buen futuro. Asimismo, en el presente trabajo se discute la importancia de los principales personajes y sus funciones en torno a una discapacidad: el paciente, el médico, la familia y la sociedad

The Men (1950) by Fred Zinnemann and starring Marlon Brando, is a movie that shows the story of Lieutenant Ken Wilcott, who suffers from paraplegia due to a gunshot wound in the back when he was on duty in World War II. With the help of Dr. Brock and his fiancée Ellen he manages to overcome his disability and begin his process of acceptance and rehabilitation. Through the film we can see the process suffered by patients with disabilities, from denial and depression to finally accept their disability and set out to establish a good future. In the same way, we discuss the importance of the main characters and their functions around a disability: the patient, the doctor, the family and society

Motivation to Physical Exercise in Manual Wheelchair Users With Paraplegia.

Background: Motivation could be considered as a critical factor for being and staying physically active in the spinal cord-injured population. Objectives: Our goals were (1) to describe motivation to exercise in people with paraplegia, comparing those who engage in regular physical exercise with those who do not and (2) to establish whether such motivation is related to the type of physical exercise practiced. Methods: This study was quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive research. One-hundred and six participants with chronic paraplegia completed the Spanish version of the Exercise Motivations Inventory (EMI-2). Participants were divided into the non-exerciser group (NEG) and the exerciser group (EG). EG was subclassified into sports players (SPs) and physical exercisers (PEs). Results: Participants in both EG and NEG presented a similar motivation toward physical exercise. The most important motive to practice or to adhere to exercise in participants with SCI was ill-health avoidance (mean, 8.45; SD, 1.33). Fitness was the second most important motive (ie, nimbleness, flexibility, strength, and endurance). Motives that distinguished EG from NEG included enjoyment and revitalization [t(41.9) = -2.54, p < .05, r = 0.36], competition [t(56.8) = 2.24, p < .05, r = 0.28], and health pressure [t(104) = 3.22, p < .01, r = 0.30]. Furthermore, we found that motivation was related to the type of physical exercise performed. SPs showed a statistically significantly higher score for competition and enjoyment and revitalization than PEs (p < .05). Conclusion: Ill-health avoidance and fitness are the key motivational factors to practice and adhere to physical exercise. Motivation is related to the type of physical exercise performed. Health providers need to understand these factors to promote and sustain long-term adherence to exercise in the SCI population.

Quality of life, concern of falling and satisfaction of the sit-ski aid in sit-skiers with spinal cord injury: observational study.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. OBJECTIVE: To describe (1) user satisfaction, (2) the Quality of Life (QoL) and (3) fear of falling in individuals with tetraplegia or paraplegia who used a mono-ski for sit-skiing. SETTING: Spinal units and Sport associations. METHODS: An observational study of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) who used a sit-ski. Participants were recruited in various SCI rehabilitation centers and sport associations. Participants completed three assessment tools: the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0); the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQoL-BREF); the Spinal Cord Injury Fall Concern Scale (SCI-FCS). Results were evaluated with chi-squared test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov's test and the significance was set for p values < 0.05. RESULTS: Fifteen participants were included. Results showed positive and statistically significant values for all the items of the SCI-FCS related to fear of falling, and for most of the items of the WHOQoL-BREF related to QoL and the QUEST 2.0 related to satisfaction with the device. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights that sit skiing is correlated with high levels of satisfaction with the mono-ski, increases in QoL, and low levels of fear of falling. In adding these findings to the existent literature, it can be stated with more certainty that sit-skiing is a sport that can be recommended in rehabilitation and sports therapy programs.

Well on wheels intervention: Satisfaction with life and health for adults with spinal cord injuries.

Objective/Background: To examine how demographic and injury characteristics identify satisfaction with life (SWL), and assess the differential effects of a wellness intervention by baseline SWL groups.Design: Baseline and longitudinal analysis of a randomized controlled pilot intervention using decision tree regression and linear mixed models.Setting: Community based.Participants: Seventy-two individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) were randomized to an intervention group (n = 39) or control group (n = 33). Participants were aged 44.1 ± 13.0 years and 13.1 ± 10.6 years post-injury. Most participants were male (n = 50; 69.4%) and had paraplegia (n = 38; 52.7%). Participants were classified as high versus low SWL at baseline using a cutoff score of 20.Interventions: The intervention aimed to increase self-efficacy, and in turn, increase engagement in health-promoting behaviors related to SWL. Six 4-hour in-person workshops were conducted over a 3-month period led by experts and peer-mentors who were available for support.Outcome measure(s): Self-efficacy for health practices, secondary condition severity, health-promoting behaviors, perceived stress, and SWL.Results: At baseline, participants with low SWL were recently injured (<4.5 years), while persons with high SWL were married and younger (<49 years old). Intervention participants with low SWL at baseline significantly improved SWL over time compared to those with high SWL (P = 0.02).Conclusion: Certain injury and demographic characteristics were associated with SWL, and intervention participants with low SWL at baseline improved their SWL over 2 years. Healthcare providers should consider time post-injury, marital status, and age in identifying individuals at risk for low SWL that may benefit from wellness interventions.

Training with FES-assisted cycling in a subject with spinal cord injury: Psychological, physical and physiological considerations.

CONTEXT: People with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience the effects of a sedentary lifestyle very early on. Literature data suggest that programs using FES-assisted cycling would contribute to reduce the consequences of physical inactivity. The objective was to assess the feasibility of 12-month training on a FES-assisted bike of a subject with paraplegia for 21 years, T3, Asia Impairment Scale (AIS) A. An evaluation of morbidity, self-esteem, satisfaction, quality of life and duration of pedaling was performed. The impact on pain, cardiorespiratory function, body composition and bone metabolism were also assessed. FINDINGS: The acceptability score of the training constraints increased from 51 to 59/65 and satisfaction was high around 8/10. The pedaling duration increased from 1' to 26' on the recumbent bike and from 1' to 15' on open terrain. No significant changes were found with BMD and cardiorespiratory measures during exercise tests. SF 36 showed significant improvement of more than 10% and the Rosenberg Self Esteem score rapidly improved from 36 to 39/40. At the end of the training, the patient reached the objective of the Cybathlon 2016 by covering 750 m in less than 8 minutes, at an average speed of 5.80 km/hr. CONCLUSION/CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A person with high and complete level of SCI for more than 20 years can undertake this type of challenge if the prerequisites are met; this training is without danger if the safety precautions are respected; the challenge of participating in a competition had a powerful impact on JP's self-esteem and perceived quality of life.

Non-motor symptoms are relevant and possibly treatable in hereditary spastic paraplegia type 4 (SPG4).

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP) share as cardinal feature progressive spastic gait disorder. SPG4 accounts for about 25% of cases and is caused by mutations in the SPAST gene. Although HSP is an upper motor neuron disease, the relevance of non-motor symptoms is increasingly recognized because of the potential response to treatment. Our study sets out to evaluate non-motor symptoms and their relevance with regard to health-related quality of life. In 118 genetically confirmed SPG4 cases and age- and gender-matched controls, validated questionnaires were used to evaluate fatigue, depression, pain, and restless legs syndrome. In addition, self-reported medical information was collected concerning comorbidities and bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction. In a sub-study, cognition was evaluated using the CANTAB® test-battery and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in 26 SPG4 patients. We found depression and pain to be significantly increased. The frequency of restless legs syndrome varied largely depending on defining criteria. There were no significant deficits in cognition as examined by CANTAB® despite a significant increase in self-reported memory impairment in SPG4 patients. Bladder, sexual, and defecation problems were frequent and seemed to be underrecognized in current treatment strategies. All identified non-motor symptoms correlated with health-related quality of life, which was reduced in SPG4 compared to controls. We recommend that clinicians regularly screen for depression, pain, and fatigue and ask for bladder, sexual, and defecation problems to recognize and treat non-motor symptoms accordingly to improve quality of life in patients with SPG4.

Patterns of cognitive deficits in persons with spinal cord injury as compared with both age-matched and older individuals without spinal cord injury.

Context/Objective: Cognitive deficits can impact as many as 60% of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). In an effort to identify the nature of cognitive deficits in SCI, we examined neuropsychological test performance in individuals with SCI, age matched healthy controls and older healthy controls.Design: Participants completed a motor-free neuropsychological test battery assessing attention, working memory, information processing speed, new learning /memory and executive control.Setting: Outpatient rehabilitation research facility.Participants: Participants included 60 individuals with chronic spinal cord injury [SCI; 32 with paraplegia (T2-T12) and 28 with tetraplegia (C3-T1)], 30 age-matched healthy controls (AMHC; 30-40 years old) and 20 older healthy controls (OHC; 50-60 years old).Outcome Measures: Wechsler Intelligence Scale - 3rd edition (WAIS-III) Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing; Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) - oral version; California Verbal Learning Test-II; Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT); Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI); Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System; Verbal Fluency subtest.Results: Significant differences were noted between the SCI and AMHC groups on measures of information processing speed, new learning and memory, and verbal fluency. No significant differences were noted between the groups on tests of attention or working memory.Conclusion: The current study documented differences in specific realms of cognitive functioning between a chronic SCI sample and AMHC. Implications for cognitive rehabilitation and overall quality of life are discussed. Additional research is needed utilizing a more comprehensive battery of motor-free neuropsychological tests that avoid the confound of upper limb motor limitations on cognitive performance.

SenseJoy, a pluggable solution for assessing user behavior during powered wheelchair driving tasks.

BACKGROUND: The complex task of Electric Powered Wheelchairs (EPW) prescription relies mainly on personal experience and subjective observations despite standardized processes and protocols. The most informative measurements come from joystick monitoring, but recording direct joystick outputs require to disassemble the joystick. We propose a new solution called "SenseJoy" that is easy to plug on a joystick and is suitable to characterize the driver behavior by estimating the joystick command. METHODS: SenseJoy is a pluggable system embedded on EPW built with a 3D accelerometer and a 2D gyrometer placed within the joystick and another 3D accelerometer located at the basis of the joystick. Data is sampled at 39 Hz and processed offline. First, SenseJoy sensitivity is assessed on wheelchair driving tasks performed by a group of 8 drivers (31 ± 8 years old, including one driver with left hemiplegia, one with cerebral palsy) in a lab environment. Direct joystick measurements are compared with SenseJoy estimations in different driving exercises. A second group of 5 drivers is recorded in the ecological context of a rehabilitation center (41 ± 10 years old, with two tetraplegic drivers, one tetraplegic driver with cognitive disorder, one driver post-stroke, one driver with right hemiplegia). The measurements from all groups of drivers are evaluated with an unsupervised statistical analysis, to estimate driving profile clusters. RESULTS: The SenseJoy is able to measure the EPW joystick inclination angles with a resolution of 1.31% and 1.23% in backward/forward and left/right directions respectively. A statistical validation ensures that the classical joystick-based indicators are equivalent when acquired with the SenseJoy or with a direct joystick output connection. Using an unsupervised methodology, based on a similarity matrix between subjects, it is possible to characterize the driver profile from real data. CONCLUSION: SenseJoy is a pluggable system for assessing the joystick controls during EPW driving tasks. This system can be plugged on any EPW equipped with a joystick control interface. We demonstrate that it correctly estimates the performance indicators and it is able to characterize driving profile. The system is suitable and efficient to assist therapists in their recommendation, by providing objective measures with a fast installation process.

Factors influencing the community integration of patients following traumatic spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a high-cost disabling condition, which brings a huge number of changes in individual's life. The emphasis of rehabilitation has moved from medical administration to issues that affect quality of life and community integration. This systematic review was conducted to identify the factors associated with community reintegration of patients with spinal cord injury. . METHODS: Google Scholar, PEDro, Pakmedinet, AMED, BIOMED central, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PsychoINFO, PUBMED, ScienceDIRECT, Scirus and Wiley Online Library databses were searched by using key words 'Spinal cord injury' 'Paraplegia' or 'Spinal Cord Lesion' or Tetraplegia. They were cross-linked with 'Community reintegration', 'Community participation' and 'Community access'. The methodological quality of the studies included was analysed by using McMaster University Tool and Thomas Tool. The data extracted included sample size, intervention, duration, results, outcome measures, and follow-up period. RESULTS: A total of 11 relevant studies were located. The evidence extracted was classified into four groups; health-related barriers or facilitators, environment-related barriers or facilitators, psychological barriers and social barriers that are associated with community reintegration of such individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The review revealed that there were more barriers in the form of health-related issues, personal and environmental, psychological and social issues that hinder the community reintegration of individuals with spinal cord injury compared to facilitators. Most studies identified special challenges related to environment in the sense of accessibility of home and public buildings and transportation. Removing barriers related to health, environment, and psychological and social factors can enhance community reintegration of such patients.

Proactive Cortical Control in Spinal Cord Injury Subjects with Paraplegia.

Preparatory cortical activities were investigated in subjects with paraplegia attributed to spinal cord injury (SCI). Electroencephalogram (EEG) and behavioral data were recorded simultaneously in a visual-motor discrimination go/no-go task performed with the right upper limb. Eighteen SCI subjects participated to one, two, or three experimental sessions (Go/No-Go task), according to their availability and willingness to participate. To evaluate the effects of SCI on cortical activities as a function of time, we considered three SCI groups (9 individuals each), based on different time from the injury onset (acute, 1-2 months; subacute, 3-5 months; chronic, 6-9 months), and a control group of 9 healthy participants matched for age and sex. Results indicate that response time (RT) was slower and percentage of omissions was higher in SCI subjects than healthy, independently from time from lesion (TFL). Also, the proactive motor preparation, indexed by the Bereitschafts potential (BP), and the pre-frontal cognitive control, indexed by the pre-frontal negativity component, showed reduced amplitude in SCI subjects, independently from TFL. Conversely, TFL effect was observed in the BP topography, which showed a more posterior focus in subacute and chronic groups than healthies. Interestingly, despite this posteriorization, BP amplitudes maintained the well-known correlation with RTs. Overall, SCI affects cortical reorganization independently from TFL, regarding proactive activities for action inhibition and reaction time; conversely, a TFL effect was observed in the topography changes related to the cortical areas involved in proactive motor activity. Present data are in line with growing evidence of brain changes after SCI, in particular focusing on cognitive effects and evidencing possible functional mechanisms related to motor and cognitive readiness processing, relevant for SCI rehabilitation programs.

[Spinal cord injury due to suicide attempt, psychiatric profile and functional disability]. / Lesion medular por intento de suicidio, perfil psiquiatrico y discapacidad funcional.

INTRODUCTION: Studies published in other countries indicate that 1.6-3% of spinal cord injuries are acquired due to suicide attempt, the majority being produced by precipitation in patients with previous psychiatric disorders. AIMS: To determine the frequency of attempted suicide as a cause of spinal cord injuries in a neurorehabilitation hospital and to describe the characteristics of these patients in psychiatric terms and functional disability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study in which all patients with spinal cord injuries due to suicide attempt in a period of 15 years in a neurorehabilitation hospital were reviewed. RESULTS: Suicide attempt caused 2% (n = 61) of spinal cord injuries in our population. Although 93% of the patients were diagnosed with psychiatric pathology, 60% were linked to mental health facilities and only three consulted for emergency the days before the precipitation. Six attempts were made in the context of psychiatric services and 26% of patients had made previous attempts. The most frequent medical diagnosis was paraplegia associated with fractures in the lower extremities and chest trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Precipitation due to suicide attempt causes 2% of spinal cord injuries, with depression and psychotic disorders being the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. After the rehabilitation period, this population requires special attention from the mental health teams since they combine risk factors to commit suicide such as the history of previous attempts and the presence of a chronic disabling condition.

TITLE: Lesion medular por intento de suicidio, perfil psiquiatrico y discapacidad funcional.Introduccion. Estudios realizados en otros paises señalan que el 1,6-3% de las lesiones medulares se adquieren por intento de autolisis, y la mayoria se producen por precipitacion. Objetivos. Determinar la frecuencia de intento de suicidio como causa de lesion medular en un hospital de neurorrehabilitacion y describir las caracteristicas de estos pacientes en terminos psiquiatricos y de discapacidad funcional. Pacientes y metodos. Estudio retrospectivo en el que se revisaron todos los pacientes con lesion medular por intento de autolisis en un periodo de 15 años en un hospital de neurorrehabilitacion. Resultados. El intento de autolisis ocasiono el 2% de las lesiones medulares en la muestra (n = 61). El 93% de los pacientes estaba diagnosticado de patologia psiquiatrica y el 26% habia realizado tentativas previas. Aunque el 60% estaba vinculado a salud mental, solo tres consultaron por urgencias dias antes de la precipitacion y seis realizaron la tentativa en el contexto de servicios psiquiatricos. El diagnostico mas frecuente fue la paraplejia asociada a fracturas en las extremidades inferiores y traumatismos toracicos. Conclusiones. La precipitacion por intento de autolisis provoca el 2% de las lesiones medulares, y la depresion y los trastornos psicoticos son las patologias psiquiatricas previas mas prevalentes. Tras el periodo de rehabilitacion, esta poblacion requiere especial atencion por parte de los equipos de salud mental, ya que combina factores de riesgo para cometer suicidio, como la historia de tentativas previas, y la presencia de una condicion cronica discapacitante.

'I am free in my wheelchair but pain does have a say in it though': The meaning and experience of quality of life when living with paraplegia and chronic pain.

This study investigated how wheelchair-using individuals with paraplegia and chronic pain make sense of the factors associated with quality of life based on interviews using photo-elicitation and interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes emerged in the analysis: experiencing quality of life through the perception of self and identity, interpersonal relationships as facilitators and barriers to quality of life and life in a wheelchair: pain experience and management. Quality of life for those living with paraplegia and chronic pain is experienced as a complex interaction across several life domains. The use of photographs may improve the communication of pain-related experiences and understanding by healthcare staff.

Relationships Between Specific Functional Abilities and Health-Related Quality of Life in Chronic Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between specific functional abilities assessed from the third version of the Spinal Cord Injury Measure and health-related quality of life after a traumatic spinal cord injury. DESIGN: A prospective cohort of 195 patients who had sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury from C1 to L1 and consecutively admitted to a single level 1 spinal cord injury-specialized trauma center between April 2010 and September 2016 was studied. Correlation coefficients were calculated between Spinal Cord Injury Measure scores and Short Form 36 version 2 summary scores (physical component score; mental component score). RESULTS: The total Spinal Cord Injury Measure score correlated moderately with the physical component score in the entire cohort, correlated strongly with physical component score in tetraplegics, did not correlate with physical component score in paraplegics, and did not correlate with mental component score. Mobility subgroup and individual items scores showed the strongest correlations with the physical component score in the entire cohort, followed by self-care and sphincter management. CONCLUSIONS: This work is significant being the first to determine which specific functional abilities are mostly related to health-related quality of life and highlights the differences between tetraplegic and paraplegic patients. Our findings could help clinicians to guide rehabilitation plan based on importance of specific functional abilities in relationship with the health-related quality of life.

Basic hope and posttraumatic growth in people with traumatic paraplegia- the mediating effect of acceptance of disability.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: Investigating the correlations between basic hope, acceptance of disability, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in people with traumatic paraplegia, exploring the mediating effect of acceptance of disability. SETTING: Community-dwelling people with traumatic paraplegia in Poland. METHODS: Data were obtained from 281 individuals with paraplegia. The set of questionnaires included: The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI); Basic Hope Inventory (BHI); and The Multidimensional Acceptance of Loss Scale. Four dimensions of disability acceptance were measured: subordinating physique relative to other values, enlarging the scope of values, transforming comparative-status values into asset values, and containing the effects of disability. Mediation was tested with the Baron and Kenny's approach. RESULTS: A positive and statistically significant correlation between basic hope, acceptance of disability, and posttraumatic growth was found. Using a hierarchical regression analysis, a mediating effect of acceptance of disability was found for explaining the relationship between basic hope and posttraumatic growth in people with paraplegia. Only two dimensions of disability acceptance, subordinating physique relative to other values and transforming comparative-status values into asset values, were found to play a mediating role. CONCLUSION: Beliefs about the world and the transformation of values ​​that constitute acceptance of disability are important for explaining PTG in people with paraplegia. Correlations between these variables are complex. The correlation between basic hope and posttraumatic growth in individuals with paraplegia may be understood better by taking into account the mediating role of acceptance of disability.

Affordances after spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury can cause cognitive impairments even when no cerebral lesion is appreciable. As patients are forced to explore the environment in a non-canonical position (i.e., seated on a wheelchair), a modified relation with space can explain motor-related cognitive differences compared to non-injured individuals. Peripersonal space is encoded in motor terms, that is, in relation to the representation of action abilities and is strictly related to the affordance of reachability. In turn, affordances, the action possibilities suggested by relevant properties of the environment, are related to the perceiver's peripersonal space and motor abilities. One might suppose that these motor-related cognitive abilities are compromised when an individual loses the ability to move. We shed light on this issue in 10 patients with paraplegia and 20 matched controls. All have been administered an affordances-related reachability judgement task adapted from Costantini, Ambrosini, Tieri, Sinigaglia, and Committeri (2010, Experimental Brain Research, 207, 95) and neuropsychological tests. Our findings demonstrate that patients and controls show the same level of accuracy in estimating the location of their peripersonal space boundaries, but only controls show the typical overestimation of reaching range. Secondly, patients show a higher variability in their judgements than controls. Importantly, this finding is related to the patients' ability to perform everyday tasks. Finally, patients are not faster in making their judgements on reachability in peripersonal space, while controls are. Our results suggest that not moving freely or as usual in the environment impact decoding of action-related properties even when the upper limbs are not compromised.

What determines low satisfaction with life in individuals with spinal cord injury?

OBJECTIVE: To examine variables associated with satisfaction with life (SWL) in individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional, national survey to assess SWL, demographic and injury characteristics, health care utilization, chronic conditions (obesity, diabetes, heart problems, lung problems, hypertension, high cholesterol), symptoms (poor sleep, pain, depression), social support, grief/loss, and independence. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling Veterans with SCI. Outcome Measures/Analyses: Bivariate analyses were conducted to assess differences in demographics, injury characteristics, chronic conditions, symptoms, social support, grief/loss, and independence in individuals who reported low SWL (≤20) vs. average/high SWL (21-35). Multivariate logistic regression assessed factors independently associated with low SWL. RESULTS: 896 Veterans with SCI (62%) responded. Average age was 62 years, the majority were male (94%), Caucasian (77%), and had paraplegia (61%). Odds of low SWL were 2.4 times greater for individuals experiencing pain (OR = 2.43, CI95: 1.47-4.02, P = 0.0005). Odds of low SWL were increased for individuals reporting greater grief/loss due to their SCI (OR = 1.14, CI95: 1.10-1.18, P < 0.0001). Lesser odds of low SWL were seen for individuals reporting greater emotional social support (OR = 0.97, CI95: 0.96-0.99, P < 0.0001) and independence (OR = 0.94, CI95: 0.90-0.97, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Pain and feelings of grief/loss due to injury were associated with low SWL. Self-perceived independence and good social support were associated with better SWL. Along with addressing pain and facilitating independence and social support, these findings suggest that interventions to improve SWL should focus on helping individuals deal with grief/loss due to injury.

Training with brain-machine interfaces, visuo-tactile feedback and assisted locomotion improves sensorimotor, visceral, and psychological signs in chronic paraplegic patients.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) induces severe deficiencies in sensory-motor and autonomic functions and has a significant negative impact on patients' quality of life. There is currently no systematic rehabilitation technique assuring recovery of the neurological impairments caused by a complete SCI. Here, we report significant clinical improvement in a group of seven chronic SCI patients (six AIS A, one AIS B) following a 28-month, multi-step protocol that combined training with non-invasive brain-machine interfaces, visuo-tactile feedback and assisted locomotion. All patients recovered significant levels of nociceptive sensation below their original SCI (up to 16 dermatomes, average 11 dermatomes), voluntary motor functions (lower-limbs muscle contractions plus multi-joint movements) and partial sensory function for several modalities (proprioception, tactile, pressure, vibration). Patients also recovered partial intestinal, urinary and sexual functions. By the end of the protocol, all patients had their AIS classification upgraded (six from AIS A to C, one from B to C). These improvements translated into significant changes in the patients' quality of life as measured by standardized psychological instruments. Reexamination of one patient that discontinued the protocol after 12 months of training showed that the 16-month break resulted in neurological stagnation and no reclassification. We suggest that our neurorehabilitation protocol, based uniquely on non-invasive technology (therefore necessitating no surgical operation), can become a promising therapy for patients diagnosed with severe paraplegia (AIS A, B), even at the chronic phase of their lesion.

The reliability of end of day and ecological momentary assessments of pain and pain interference in individuals with spinal cord injury.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the most efficient means of measuring pain intensity and pain interference comparing ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to end of day (EOD) data, with the highest level of measurement reliability as examined in individuals with spinal cord injury. METHODS: EMA (five times throughout the day) and EOD ratings of pain and pain interference were collected over a 7-day period. Multilevel models were used to examine the reliability for both EOD and EMA assessments in order to determine the amount of variability in these assessments over the course of a week or the day, and a multilevel version of the Spearman-Brown Prophecy formula was used to estimate values for reliability. RESULTS: Findings indicate the minimum of number of EOD and EMA assessments needed to achieve different levels of reliability ("adequate" > 0.70, "good" > 0.80 and excellent > 0.90). In addition, the time of day (either morning, midday or evening) did not impact the estimated reliability for the EMA assessments. CONCLUSIONS: These findings can help researchers and clinician balance the cost/benefit tradeoffs of these different types of assessments by providing specific cutoffs for the numbers of each type of assessment that are needed to achieve excellent reliability.

Women's experiences of sexuality after spinal cord injury: a UK perspective.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional phenomenological qualitative study. OBJECTIVES: To investigate women's experience of sexuality after spinal cord injury (SCI) with a focus on rehabilitation and manging practical impact. SETTING: Women with SCI living in the community in United Kingdom (UK). METHODS: Participants were recruited via three UK SCI centres, ensuring tetraplegia, paraplegia and cauda equina syndrome representation. Single semi-structured interviews exploring individual's experiences around sexuality following SCI were recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven women aged 21-72 years, sexually active since SCI were interviewed, each lasting 17-143 min (mean 55 min). Six key themes emerged: physical change, psychological impact, dependency, relationships and partners, post injury sexual life and sexuality rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: Sexuality remains an important, valued aspect of female identity following SCI; sexual activity continues and though altered remains enjoyable and rewarding. Sexuality rehabilitation should commence early, preparing women for altered sexual sensation, disclosure of altered sexual function to partners, and encouraging early self-exploration. Techniques optimising continence management in preparation for and during sex should be taught. Participants identified a need for women-only education and support groups, increased peer support, self-esteem, communication and social skills training and even fashion advice and pampering sessions during rehabilitation. Support and education for partners are needed. Staff require support to be knowledgeable and confident in addressing women's sexuality needs. Use of the Ex-PLISSIT model for psychosexual support could help staff to better meet these needs.

Relationship of Fitness and Wheelchair Mobility With Encounters, Avoidances, and Perception of Environmental Barriers Among Manual Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To assess (1) if fitness and mobility are related to behavior and perception of physical barriers and (2) if behavior and physical barrier perception are related. DESIGN: Cross-sectional case series. SETTING: Academic Medical Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Manual wheelchair users (N=50) with chronic spinal cord injury (62% paraplegia). INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed the following assessments: (1) fitness: graded exercise test (aerobic) and Wingate (anaerobic); (2) mobility: 6-minute push test and 30-second sprint test; (3) physical barrier behavior: Encounters of Environmental Features in the Environmental Aspects of Mobility Questionnaire (EAMQ); (4) physical barrier perception: Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factor (CHIEF) Environmental Barriers domain. RESULTS: Individuals with paraplegia had higher fitness, mobility, and environmental barrier encounter rates and lower avoidance per encounter rates vs tetraplegia (all P≤.05). For individuals with tetraplegia only, as mobility and fitness increased, frequencies of (1) encounters increased; (2) avoidances per encounter decreased, in multiple EAMQ domains (all P≤.05). Perception of barriers did not differ between lesion levels (P=.79). Mobility and fitness were not related to environmental barriers perception in both groups (all P>.17). CONCLUSIONS: Fitness and mobility are associated with barrier behaviors (ie, encounters and avoidances) among individuals with tetraplegia, but not paraplegia. Despite a greater barrier avoidance rate, persons with tetraplegia do not perceive more physical barriers than persons with paraplegia. Surprisingly, fitness and mobility were not related to perception of barriers in either group. More research is required on if barrier perception, behavior, or both influence participation, to enable rehabilitation programs to tailor interventions to enhance participation.