Using the benefit-harm trade-off method to determine the smallest worthwhile effect of intensive motor training on strength for people with spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Interviews using the benefit-harm trade-off method and an online survey.

Objectives: To determine the smallest worthwhile effect (SWE) of motor training on strength for people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting: SCI units, Australia.

A therapist-administered self-report version of the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury II (WISCI): a psychometric study.

Objective: To develop a self-report version of the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury II (WISCI II) and to test its reliability and validity.

Study Design: Psychometric study.

Setting: Spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation centres in Australia and Italy.

Early and Intensive Motor Training for people with spinal cord injuries (the SCI-MT Trial): protocol of the process evaluation.

Introduction: People with spinal cord injury receive physical rehabilitation to promote neurological recovery. Physical rehabilitation commences as soon as possible when a person is medically stable. One key component of physical rehabilitation is motor training.

Early and intensive motor training to enhance neurological recovery in people with spinal cord injury: trial protocol.

Study Design: Protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial (the SCI-MT trial).

Objectives: To determine whether 10 weeks of intensive motor training enhances neurological recovery in people with recent spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting: Fifteen spinal injury units in Australia, Scotland, England, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium.

The effects of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised controlled trial.

Study Design: A multi-centred, single-blinded randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine the effect of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Settings: Seven hospitals in Australia and Asia.

Functional electrical stimulation cycling has no clear effect on urine output, lower limb swelling, and spasticity in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised cross-over trial.

Question: Does functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling increase urine output and decrease lower limb swelling and spasticity in people with recent spinal cord injury?

Design: Randomised cross-over trial.

Participants: Fourteen participants with a recent motor complete spinal cord injury were consecutively recruited from two spinal cord injury units in Sydney.

Intervention: Participants were randomised to an experimental phase followed by a control phase or vice versa, with a 1-week washout period in between.

Physical therapists' ability to predict future mobility after spinal cord injury.

Background And Purpose: Goal setting is an important aspect of any physical therapy program. It not only determines the focus of therapy but also determines discharge planning and equipment prescription. The effectiveness of goal setting is dependent on therapists' ability to predict patients' future mobility.

Training unsupported sitting does not improve ability to sit in people with recently acquired paraplegia: a randomised trial.

Question: Do people with recently acquired paraplegia benefit from a six-week motor retraining program aimed at improving their ability to sit unsupported?

Design: A randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding, and intention-totreat analysis.

Participants: 32 people with recently acquired paraplegia and limited ability to sit unsupported.

Intervention: All participants undertook standard inpatient rehabilitation over a six-week period.

Contracture management for people with spinal cord injuries.

Contractures are a common and disabling problem for people with spinal cord injuries. To date, contractures have largely been managed with physical interventions such as stretch and passive movements. These are typically administered either manually or with the assistance of various orthoses, devices or aids.

A new clinical device for measuring wrist strength in people with tetraplegia.

Weakness of wrist muscles has a significant impact on upper limb function in people with tetraplegia. A simple device has been designed to enable clinicians to measure dynamic strength in the very weak muscles of people with tetraplegia. The objective of this study was to test the interrater reliability of the device.

Does 12 weeks of regular standing prevent loss of ankle mobility and bone mineral density in people with recent spinal cord injuries?

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 12-week standing program on ankle mobility and femur bone mineral density in patients with lower limb paralysis following recent spinal cord injury. An assessor-blinded within-subject randomised controlled trial was undertaken. Twenty patients with lower limb paralysis following a recent spinal cord injury were recruited.