International Spinal Cord Injury Physical Therapy-Occupational Therapy Basic Data Set (Version 1.2).

Study Design: Expert workgroup consensus, focused literature review, and vetting via feedback from international presentations and spinal cord professional membership groups.

Objectives: Develop and refine a basic dataset to enable standardized documentation of physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) interventions delivered in a controlled clinical trial intended to improve voluntary motor function.

Setting: International Expert Working Group.

Psychological predictors of functional outcomes in service members with traumatic brain injury.

Primary Objective: Research is increasingly demonstrating the significant impact that non-medical factors can have on outcomes of service members (SMs) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Thus, the current study examined which demographic, TBI-related factors, and psychological variables are most predictive of functional outcomes.

Research Design: Retrospective database analysis from medical chart review.

Hand Reconstruction in Children with Spinal Cord Injury.

Comprehensive programs for children who sustain traumatic spinal cord injury should incorporate optimizing hand and upper extremity function along with the other traditional pillars of rehabilitation. Children's smaller anatomy, open growth plates, and future skeletal growth, combined with the age-related psychosocial impact of these injuries, require protocols suited to these age-related issues. There is a role for surgical reconstruction, as is the case for adults with traumatic tetraplegia, and surgical outcomes are equally beneficial and long lasting.

Therapeutic Interventions to Improve Mobility with Spinal Cord Injury Related Upper Motor Neuron Syndromes.

Mobility is essential for quality of life and social participation. Some individuals with spinal cord injury have sufficient residual lower extremity motor control to walk. Improving walking function incorporates practice and training, and assistive devices or stimulation to augment function and balance.

Predicting Outcomes After Spinal Cord Injury.

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of prognosis and outcomes after spinal cord injury (SCI), including variables that have an impact on neurologic assessment, extent and time frame of natural recovery, specific factors having an impact on prognosis of ambulation, the role of imaging and modalities for assessing the injured spinal cord, and strategies on presenting information to patients and families. The ability to predict outcome after spinal cord injury is important not only for individuals who sustained traumatic SCI and their families but also for rehabilitation professionals and researchers.

Modified PRISM and SCI-SET Spasticity Measures for Persons With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Results of a Rasch Analyses.

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spinal Cord Injury Spasticity Evaluation Tool (SCI-SET) and Patient-Reported Impact of Spasticity Measure (PRISM) using Rasch analysis to optimize their validity and efficiency.

Design: Rasch analysis of the SCI-SET and PRISM represents a secondary analysis of data collected as part of a collaborative research project of the SCI Model Systems Centers. The overall survey was organized into 4 sections: (1) participant demographics and injury characteristics, (2) participant experiences of spasticity, (3) SCI-SET, and (4) PRISM.

A Medication Management Intervention for Patients and Families with SCI and ABI.

The purpose of this study was to develop and test the efficacy of a pre-discharge, medication management intervention to improve perceived knowledge and perceived confidence for post-discharge medication management for rehabilitation patients with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and families of patients with SCIs or acquired brain injuries (ABIs). We used a quasi-experimental, matched-pair design. Treatment participants ( = 112) completed the intervention with pre- and post-tests assessing perceived knowledge and perceived confidence for post-discharge medication management.

Effect of dimethyl fumarate on lymphocyte subsets in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Background: In patients treated with dimethyl fumarate, absolute lymphocyte count decline typically occurs during the first year and then plateaus; early drops have been associated with the development of severe prolonged lymphopenia.

Objective: We investigated the effect of dimethyl fumarate on absolute lymphocyte counts and CD4+/CD8+ T cells in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treated with dimethyl fumarate in routine practice.

Methods: Lymphocyte data were collected via medical chart abstraction.

A Prospective, Multicenter Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Translingual Neurostimulation Plus Physical Therapy for the Treatment of a Chronic Balance Deficit Due to Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objectives: Translingual neurostimulation (TLNS) studies indicate improved outcomes in neurodegenerative disease or spinal cord injury patients. This study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of TLNS plus targeted physical therapy (PT) in people with a chronic balance deficit after mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (mmTBI).

Materials And Methods: This international, multicenter, randomized study enrolled 122 participants with a chronic balance deficit who had undergone PT following an mmTBI and had plateaued in recovery.

Appraisals of robotic locomotor exoskeletons for gait: focus group insights from potential users with spinal cord injuries.

To describe appraisals of robotic exoskeletons for locomotion by potential users with spinal cord injuries, their perceptions of device benefits and limitations, and recommendations for manufacturers and therapists regarding device use. We conducted focus groups at three regional rehabilitation hospitals and used thematic analysis to define themes. Across four focus groups, 35 adults participated; they were predominantly middle-aged, male, and diverse in terms of race and ethnicity, well educated, and not working.

Disrupted Ankle Control and Spasticity in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: The Association Between Neurophysiologic Measures and Function. A Scoping Review.

Control of muscles about the ankle joint is an important component of locomotion and balance that is negatively impacted by spinal cord injury (SCI). Volitional control of the ankle dorsiflexors (DF) is impaired by damage to pathways descending from supraspinal centers. Concurrently, spasticity arising from disrupted organization of spinal reflex circuits, further erodes control.

Foot and Ankle Somatosensory Deficits Affect Balance and Motor Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Sensory dysfunction is prevalent in cerebral palsy (CP). Evidence suggests that sensory deficits can contribute to manual ability impairments in children with CP, yet it is still unclear how they contribute to balance and motor performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between lower extremity (LE) somatosensation and functional performance in children with CP.

A comparative effectiveness trial of an information technology enhanced peer-integrated collaborative care intervention versus enhanced usual care for US trauma care systems: Clinical study protocol.

Annually approximately 2-3 million Americans are so severely injured that they require inpatient hospitalization. The study team, which includes patients, clinical researchers, front-line provider and policy maker stakeholders, has been working together for over a decade to develop interventions that target improvements for US trauma care systems nationally. This pragmatic randomized trial compares a multidisciplinary team collaborative care intervention that integrates front-line trauma center staff with peer interventionists, versus trauma team notification of patient emotional distress with mental health consultation as enhanced usual care.

Big Data Analytics and Sensor-Enhanced Activity Management to Improve Effectiveness and Efficiency of Outpatient Medical Rehabilitation.

Numerous societal trends are compelling a transition from inpatient to outpatient venues of care for medical rehabilitation. While there are advantages to outpatient rehabilitation (e.g.

The Digital Health Revolution and People with Disabilities: Perspective from the United States.

This article serves as the introduction to this special issue on Mobile Health and Mobile Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities. Social, technological and policy trends are reviewed. Needs, opportunities and challenges for the emerging fields of mobile health (mHealth, aka eHealth) and mobile rehabilitation (mRehab) are discussed.

Budget impact analysis of robotic exoskeleton use for locomotor training following spinal cord injury in four SCI Model Systems.

Background: We know little about the budget impact of integrating robotic exoskeleton over-ground training into therapy services for locomotor training. The purpose of this study was to estimate the budget impact of adding robotic exoskeleton over-ground training to existing locomotor training strategies in the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury.

Methods: A Budget Impact Analysis (BIA) was conducted using data provided by four Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Model Systems rehabilitation hospitals.

Promoting functional seated positioning and communication utilising a custom cervical and trunk orthosis in severe traumatic brain injury: a case report.

Background And Purpose: Published evidence to guide therapists regarding positioning strategies for patients with TBI is limited. This case report describes the development of a custom cervical-thoracic-lumbar orthosis to improve functional seated positioning and communication for an individual with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Case Description: A man in his 20 s admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation hospital nine weeks after sustaining a TBI.

LiveWell RERC State of the Science Conference Report on ICT Access to Support Community Living, Health and Function for People with Disabilities.

This article summarizes the proceedings of the three session State of the Science (SOS) Conference that was conducted by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Community Living, Health and Function (LiveWell RERC) in June 2019 in Toronto, Canada. RERCs customarily convene an SOS conference toward the end of their five-year funding cycle in order to assess the current state and identify potential future research, development, and knowledge translation efforts needed to advance their field. The first two sessions focused on the current and future state of information and communication technology (ICT) for mobile health (mHealth) and mobile rehabilitation (mRehab).

Clinician Perspectives on mRehab Interventions and Technologies for People with Disabilities in the United States: A National Survey.

Mobile health and mobile rehabilitation (mHealth and mRehab) services and technologies have attracted considerable interest from healthcare providers, technology vendors, rehabilitation engineers, investors and policy makers in recent years. Successful adoption and use of mHealth/mRehab requires clinician support and engagement, including the ability to identify appropriate use cases and possible barriers to use for themselves and their patients, and acquire adequate knowledge and confidence using mHealth/mRehab interventions. This article reports results from a survey of rehabilitation clinicians in the United States on their attitudes, experience, expectations and concerns regarding mHealth/mRehab interventions and technologies.

Smooth Pursuit and Saccades after Sport-Related Concussion.

Smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEMs) and saccadic eye movements are both commonly impaired following sport-related concussion (SRC). Typical oculomotor assessments measure individual eye movements in a series of restrictive tests designed to isolate features such as response times. These measures lack ecological validity for athletes because athletes are adept at simple tasks designed for the general population.

Everyday use of power adjustable seat height (PASH) systems.

The objective of this study was to measure how, why, and where the power adjustable seat height (PASH) system of Quantum's iLevel® wheelchairs were used. We instrumented iLevel® power wheelchairs for 24 adults to measure wheelchair occupancy, seat height, in-seat activity level, and bouts of mobility. Participants elevated their wheelchair 3.

Transforming a Traumatic Brain Injury Measure of Participation Into a Psychometrically Sound Spinal Cord Injury Participation Measure.

Objective: To evaluate the use of Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective (PART-O) in spinal cord injury (SCI) and compare it with the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique-Short Form (CHART-SF).

Design: Follow-up survey of inception cohort.

Setting: Community.