Training unsupported sitting in people with spinal cord injuries: a randomized controlled trial

Skill-based training of unsupported sitting in people with spinal cord injuries

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12608000464369

Enrollment

Registered

2008-09-17

Start date

2008-09-18

Completion date

2010-10-26

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

The aim of this single blind randomized controlled trial is to determine the effectiveness of an intensive training program directed at improving the ability of people with spinal cord injury to sit unsupported. Subjects from Sydney's two spinal injury units will be randomly allocated to an experimental or control condition. Experimental subjects will receive an intensive training program specifically directed at improving their ability to sit unsupported. Control subjects will receive usual care. Subjects’ ability to sit unsupported will be assessed by a blinded therapist at the beginning and end of the study with a standardized battery of tests. In addition, subjects’ and therapists’ impressions about the effectiveness of therapy will be assessed using rating scales designed for this purpose.

Interventions

Subjects in the experimental group will receive an intensive training program specifically directed at improving their ability to sit unsupported. The training will be based on the principles of motor learning and administered three times a week for 30 minutes over a six-week period.

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Blinded (masking used)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 65 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. have sustained a spinal cord injury within the preceding 6 months 2. have a complete or an incomplete spinal cord below the first thoracic level (as per the International Standards for the Neurological Assessment of people wiht SCI) 3. attain a score of 5 or less on the sitting balance item of the COVS (i.e., have some potential to improve) 4. are able to put a T-shirt either in short or long sitting (i.e., are likely to respond to the training) 5. are receiving physiotherapy and occupational therapy as part of a comprehensive in-patient rehabilitation program

Exclusion criteria

1. have a pressure area preventing them from getting out of bed 2. are unlikely to remain in the spinal unit for sixweeks 3. are unlikely to co-operate

Outcome results