Ability of walking without a walking device in patients with spinal cord injury as determined using data from functional tests

作者：Poncumhak Puttipong; Saengsuwan Jiamjit; Amatachaya Sugalya^*

来源：Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2014, 37(4): 389-396.

DOI：10.1179/2045772313Y.0000000160

• Tetraplegia
• Paraplegia
• Walking
• Assistive device
• Rehabilitation
• Assessment

Background/Objectives: More than half of independent ambulatory patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) need a walking device to promote levels of independence. However, long-lasting use of a walking device may introduce negative impacts for the patients. Using a standard objective test relating to the requirement of a walking device may offer a quantitative criterion to effectively monitor levels of independence of the patients. Therefore, this study investigated (1) ability of the three functional tests, including the five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST), timed up and go test (TUGT), and 10-meter walk test (10MWT) to determine the ability of walking without a walking device, and (2) the inter-tester reliability of the tests to assess functional ability in patients with SCI.
Methods: Sixty independent ambulatory patients with SCI, who walked with and without a walking device (30 subjects/group), were assessed cross-sectionally for their functional ability using the three tests. The first 20 subjects also participated in the inter-tester reliability test.
Results: The time required to complete the FTSST <14 seconds, the TUGT <18 seconds, and the 10MWT <6 seconds had good-to-excellent capability to determine the ability of walking without a walking device of subjects with SCI. These tests also showed excellent inter-tester reliability.
Conclusions: Methods of clinical evaluation for walking are likely performed using qualitative observation, which makes the results difficult to compare among testers and test intervals. Findings of this study offer a quantitative target criterion or a clear level of ability that patients with SCI could possibly walk without a walking device, which would benefit monitoring process for the patients.

• 出版日期2014-7