Functional Ambulation Profile of People with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Evaluating walking ability of incomplete SCI and association with their gait, level of assistive device support and daily mobility. Incomplete SCI patients present a unique level of recovery influenced by the level and severity of injury. This research focuses on assessing gait efficiency, adaptations and rehabilitation outcomes. Understanding functional ambulation profiles helps clinicians develop targeted interventions, assistive device use, and improve quality of life for individuals with incomplete SCI. Aim: The aim of this study is to measure the quality of gait patterns and the performance of walking of a person with incomplete spinal cord injury. Methods: The study followed a cross-sectional quantitative design. Data were collected through a face-to-face survey among 72 participants who had completed their rehabilitation services at the CRP. The Spinal Cord Injury Functional Ambulation Inventory (SCI-FAI) Questionnaire was used to determine the ambulation status of people with incomplete SCI. SPSS 25 version was used to conduct the descriptive analysis and crosstabulation. Results: The findings showed that, 70.8% of participants were paraplegic most of the 37.5% at the neurological level (L1-S5), 50% of participants walked independently without needing any assistance, and 50% of participants used a forearm crutch. 29.2% of participants were unemployed. The temporal distance walked, within a maximum of 2 minutes, is 603 feet, with a minimum of 40 feet. The study shows an association between parameters, assistive devices, and temporal distance with ASIA scores, neurological levels, and types of paralysis. Conclusion: As this is the first study to focus on the ambulation status of this group within the country, it found a strong association between gait parameters, the use of assistive devices, and temporal distance measures. Additionally, this research contributes to our understanding of the socio-demographic characteristics and the current status of this population. Keywords: Spinal Cord Injury, Incomplete Injury, Ambulation, Assistive device, Parameters.