None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
People often have poor balance and trunk stability after they have a spinal cord injury, but the ability to maintain an upright position when sitting is important for their function. There is no gold standard assessment to measure this type of balance in people with an acute spinal cord injury. We plan to test three assessments (1. the Function in Sitting Test for people with spinal cord injury (FIST-SCI), 2. the modified FIST (mFIST), and 3. the Trunk Control Test (TCT)), used by physiotherapists in a clinical setting, and identify which assessments are the most valid and reliable assessments for people with acute spinal cord injury. Once identified, the researcher involved in this study will educated clinicians and other researchers on the best assessment to use, helping to improve clinical care and future research studies.
Interventions
Three balance outcome measures, the Function in Sitting Test for people with spinal cord injury (FIST-SCI), the Modified FIST, and the Trunk Control Test (TCT), will be used to assess balance in individuals <6 months post-SCI. There will be 3 physiotherapist assessors (Rater A, B, C) who repeat the testing 4 times within 10 days (A1, A2, B, C) and then one more time 6-weeks after the initial assessment (A3). Assessor order will be randomized for the first 4 assessments (eg. [B, A1, C, A2] or [A1
Three balance outcome measures, the Function in Sitting Test for people with spinal cord injury (FIST-SCI), the Modified FIST, and the Trunk Control Test (TCT), will be used to assess balance in individuals <6 months post-SCI. There will be 3 physiotherapist assessors (Rater A, B, C) who repeat the testing 4 times within 10 days (A1, A2, B, C) and then one more time 6-weeks after the initial assessment (A3). Assessor order will be randomized for the first 4 assessments (eg. [B, A1, C, A2] or [A1, C, B, A2]). The assessor who leads two of the testing sessions (Rater A: A1, A2) in the first 10 days will also be the assessor to complete the 6-week follow-up assessment session (A3). Participants in the study will complete the assessments during their inpatient stay in a physiotherapy gym. In all, participants complete each test 5 times. We estimate that a single study session, were all three of the assessments are completed, will take 25-35 minutes. There will only be one testing session per day. Testing sessions will be scheduled to not interfere with the medical care of the participant.
Sponsors
Neuroscience Research Australia
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
- Spinal cord injured at least 18 years of age - Able to provide informed consent - Traumatic or non-traumatic SCI of at least two weeks duration - Cleared to sit out of bed - Primary wheelchair-user - Level and completeness of injury as follows: o any SCI levels between cervical one (C1) and lumbar two (L2) if injury is motor incomplete (AIS C and D), OR o between cervical six (C6) and lumbar two (L2) if injury is motor complete (AIS A and B) according to the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI).
Exclusion criteria
- Diagnosis of primary neurological injury other than SCI - Untreated severe spasticity - Current pressure ulcer in trunk, pelvic area or hips - Unable to properly comprehend the protocol or study procedures - Any medical conditions that prevent sitting for testing procedures - Inability to achieve a short-sitting position. - Unstable angina or orthostatic hypotension - Any other medical or cognitive issues that the investigators think would significantly impact ones balance
Outcome results
None listed