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BackgroundFunctional electrical stimulation (FES) of paralyzed muscles can facilitate walking after spinal cord injury (SCI).ObjectiveTo test the orthotic effects of different FES walking protocols on lower joint kinematics in individuals with incomplete SCI.MethodsThree adults with motor incomplete SCI participated in this study. Their lower extremity motor scores [LEMS (left, right)] were as follows: subject A: 25/25, subject B:15/25, subject C:9/23. They were asked to randomly complete four conditions of overground walking in a 4-meter walkway (6-10 times/condition) including no FES, and three bilateral FES walking protocols as follows: drop-foot (tibialis anterior stimulation), flexor withdrawal (common peroneal nerve stimulation), and multi-muscle stimulation (stimulation of quadriceps and gastrocnemius in the stance phase, and hamstring and tibialis anterior in the swing phase). The FES system obtained gait phase information from the two footswitches located under the individuals’ feet. Three-dimensional kinematic analysis was undertaken to measure minimum toe clearance (MTC), ankle, and hip range of motion (ROM) using a 100 Hz eight infrared camera (Vicon Motion Systems, Oxford, UK).ResultsThe three FES-walking conditions significantly increased MTC compared to the no-FES condition in all participants. A significant decrease in ankle ROM was seen in the drop-foot (all subjects), multi-muscle (subjects A and C), and flexor withdrawal (subject A) stimulations. Hip ROM increased in the drop-foot (subjects B and C), flexor withdrawal (subject B), and multi-muscle (subject C) stimulations.ConclusionsThree FES-walking protocols induced positive kinematic changes (increased hip flexion and toe clearance) during walking in subjects with incomplete SCI.

BackgroundOsteoporosis has been identified in individuals as young as 35 years of age post-spinal cord injury (SCI), with males seeming to be at a higher risk than females. However, it is not clear what the prevalence of fractures associated with SCI are in Ontario, Canada.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and demographic characteristics of fractures in people with a SCI.MethodsData will be sourced from administrative healthcare databases at ICES, Ontario. Inclusion criteria are people with SCI and at least one fracture since their SCI. We will exclude duplicate cases, records missing unique patient identifier numbers, and age <18 years. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize sociodemographic and clinical data, disaggregated by gender, age groups, and associated injuries.ResultsWe expect that younger adults would be more likely to have traumatic SCI and older adults to have non-traumatic SCI. We expect men to experience more traumatic SCI across all age categories. We expect that younger men will experience a higher incidence of secondary fractures as well as older women. Those with a longer time since initial SCI fracture are likely to experience a secondary fracture.ConclusionThe proposed study is a foundational study to better understand fractures in people with a SCI. It is known that musculoskeletal complications are common post SCI, and osteoporosis is a common consequence of disuse due to SCI. It is necessary to understand the prevalence and impact of fractures post-SCI of those in Canada to develop prevention and management strategies.

BackgroundIndividuals with a neurologic level of injury (NLI) C1-T10 have an UMN bowel and propensity for external anal sphincter spasm and need chemical/mechanical stimuli to evacuate their bowels versus those with an NLI T11-S5 and LMN bowel whom have a patulous sphincter and complete manual bowel disimpaction. We describe the associations between independence in sphincter control for 5 years following discharge among individuals with traumatic SCI (tSCI).MethodsAdults with tSCI (n=113, 80 men) whom completed baseline, 1, 2, and 5-year community follow-up interviews (2014-2021) were included. Responses to the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM-III) Sphincter Control and Respiration subscores were extracted. Participants were separated into UMN and LMN groups. A linear mixed model determined longitudinal differences in SCIM subscores. NLI and follow-up time points were assigned as fixed effects, age a random effect, and sex as a covariate. Observed differences were compared to the minimal clinically importance difference (MCID) in SCIM-III subscores.ResultsThe mean difference in SCIM-III subscores was 4.85 between the UMN and LMN bowel groups, with UMN group scoring lower at all-time points (p≤0.017). The mean group difference was equal to the MCID, constituting a substantial meaningful difference. No differences in SCIM subscores were noted across time (p≥0.9), regardless of NLI or bowel impairment.ConclusionSelf-reported sphincter control remains stable for 5 years post-injury, emphasizing the need to maximizing bowel independence before discharge. Individuals with UMN bowel have lower sphincter control scores than individuals with a LMN bowel.

BackgroundHeart Disease is the leading cause of death after spinal cord injury (SCI). Individuals with paraplegia develop hypertension and elevated arterial stiffness prior to their age matched peers. Overground exoskeleton training is becoming an increasingly prevalent form of exercise. In the general population, exercise training has been shown to reduce arterial stiffness. Recent RCT failed to show changes in arterial stiffness with arm ergometry or body weight supported treadmill training.ObjectivesThe aim of this project is to determine the effect of Exoskeleton Exercise on changing arterial stiffness.Study DesignThe study setting will take place at a rehabilitation facility. The study will involve 34 sessions over the span of approximately 18-20 weeks. The key intervention utilized in the investigation will be an Overground EksoNR gait and balance training program. The primary outcome measure will be carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and secondary measures will include heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), waist circumference (WC), and oxygen saturation (SpO2). Statistical Analysis will involve mean changes at baseline, midway, and end of study.MethodsThe 34-session (2x/week for ∼18 weeks) rehabilitation protocol will focus on using the EksoNR for overground gait and balance activities. For measurement of cfPWV, two transcutaneous Doppler flowmeters will be used at the common carotid and femoral artery. To calculate cfPWV, the distance travelled by the pulse is divided by the average pulse transit time (PTT).HypothesisThe 18-week Exoskeleton Program would improve arterial stiffness (cfPWV) in individuals with chronic incomplete SCI/D.

Background/ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted healthcare utilization; however, research has not investigated the impact in the spinal cord injury/dysfunction (SCI/D) population in Canada. To examine healthcare utilization and delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with SCI/D.Methods/OverviewA repeated-cross sectional retrospective longitudinal cohort study design was conducted using health administrative database in Ontario, Canada. In 5,754 individuals with SCI/D, healthcare utilization and delivery (in-person, and virtual) were determined at the 1) pre-pandemic (March 2015 to February 2020), 2) initial pandemic onset (March 2020-May 2020), and 3) pandemic (June 2020 to March 2022) phases. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling were conducted to determine pandemic impact on monthly healthcare utilization and delivery.ResultsThe initial pandemic onset period had a significant reduction of 24% in physician (p=0.0081), 35% in specialist (p<0.0001), and 30% in urologist (p<0.0001) visits, compared to pre-pandemic levels, with a partial recovery as the pandemic progressed. In April 2020, compared to the pre-pandemic period, a significant increase (p<0.0001) for virtual visits for physician, specialist, urologist, and primary care was found. The initial pandemic onset period had a 46% decrease in ED visits (p=0.0764) and 58% decrease in hospital admissions (p=0.0011), compared to the pre-pandemic period.ConclusionHealthcare utilization dropped in the initial pandemic onset period as physician, specialist, urologist, and ED visits, as well as hospitalization decreased significantly (p<0.05) versus pre-pandemic levels. Virtual visit increases compensated for in-person visit decreases as the pandemic progressed to allow for total visits to partially recover.

BackgroundTranscutaneous spinal stimulation (TSS) is emerging as a valuable tool for electrophysiological and clinical assessments.ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to investigate: (1) TSS above and below a spinal cord injury (SCI) lesion results in different recruitment pattern of upper limb (UL) motor pools compared to neurologically intact subjects (NIS), and (2) the relationship between recruitment pattern of UL motor pools and neurological and functional status in individuals with SCI. Methods: Eleven NIS and six participants with cervical SCI were recruited in this study. We compared spinally evoked motor potentials in UL muscles during TSS delivered to the cervical spinal cord between the spinous process of C3-C4 and C7-T1 vertebrae.ResultsAs expected, TSS delivered over the cervical spinal cord in NIS can preferentially activate proximal and distal muscles along the rostrocaudal axis, as well as ipsilateral UL muscles along the mediolateral axis. However, in participants with SCI, the responses registered in UL muscles innervated by motor pools above and below the lesion demonstrated different recruitment compared to NIS, and were dependent on the level, extent, and side of SCI.ConclusionsThe spatial map obtained from assessing evoked potentials above and below the lesion contributes to the comprehensive understanding of the viability and function of specific UL motor pools, and can be utilized to monitor changes in recruitment patterns of the UL motor pools during neurorehabilitation interventions after SCI.