Physical Therapy for Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries in Adults: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) significantly impacts patient function and recovery.
• Physical therapy is a cornerstone of SCI management.
• Evaluating contemporary physical therapy interventions is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review recent clinical trials on physical therapy interventions for SCI.
• To assess the impact of these interventions on functional parameters and recovery.
• To synthesize findings from high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published within the last six years.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of RCTs and clinical trials involving adult SCI participants receiving physiotherapy.
• Exclusion of studies older than six years or not focused on physiotherapy.
• Qualitative synthesis of results due to heterogeneity; meta-analysis was not performed.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three high-quality studies were included, reporting positive effects of physiotherapy.
• Significant improvements observed in balance, activities of daily living (ADL), and respiratory function.
• Positive effects on muscle strength and walking ability were more pronounced in motor-incomplete SCI.

Conclusions:

• Tailored physical therapy is vital for functional adaptation and managing complications in adult SCI.
• Findings suggest potential effectiveness but require cautious interpretation due to intervention heterogeneity.
• Further standardized, high-quality research is essential for developing uniform clinical guidelines.