Eerden, S. (Sophia) (2014) Physical Wheelchair Capacity and Physical Strain of Persons with a Spinal Cord Injury During the First 12 Weeks of Active Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Objective: To map the physical and wheelchair capacity of persons with a SCI at start, six and twelve weeks of active rehabilitation (i); to compare individual physical and wheelchair capacity outcomes to existing reference values from recent Dutch SCI rehabilitation (ii); to quantify the physical strain during the early phase of rehabilitation in SCI (iii); to compare the physical strain outcomes with capacity outcomes and with exercise guidelines for persons with a SCI (iv) and to examine the feasibility of the testing protocols as executed in the current study (v). Design: Three single longitudinal case studies with measurements at the start (t1), six weeks (t2) and twelve weeks (t3) of initial active rehabilitation. Setting: A specialized SCI-unit in a Dutch rehabilitation center. Participants: Three male patients with a tetraplegia were included. Main outcome measures: Physical capacity was described as peak wheelchair capacity, muscle strength of the upper extremity, respiratory function, submaximal wheeling strain and wheelchair skills. Physical strain and activity during the day was assessed with a heart rate monitor, an activity diary and a mechanical wheelchair odometer for a period of seven subsequent days at both t1 and t3. The feasibility of the testing protocol was indicated by the registration of reasons for missing values and of barriers that hampered the implementation of the testing protocol. Results: Physical wheelchair capacity outcomes were comparable to the reference values. Muscle strength and POpeak showed an increasing trend, but could not be related to the imposed physical activities and strain of the therapy sessions. The physical strain during the day was low, with the majority of time spent at levels lower than 60%HRR. No activities of prolonged periods of activity higher than 60%HRR were identified. The feasibility of the testing protocol was limited, given the large amount of missing data and the complexity of scheduling the testing protocol at each measurement time. Conclusion: This pilot study was partially successful in obtaining an indication of individual physical capacity outcomes and the evolvement of wheelchair skills over time in early rehabilitation. Continuation of this study is wishful in a larger group of individual patients. Successful implementation requires the handling of a few barriers in the current SCI rehabilitation practice.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Woude, prof. dr. L.H.V. van der and Dekker, dr. R. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Mar 2022 09:19 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Mar 2022 09:19 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3013 |
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