Comparison of lower extremity motor score parameters for patients with motor incomplete spinal cord injury using gait parameters

• Published in: Spinal cord 2011-04, Vol.49 (4), p.529-533
• Main Authors: Shin, J C, Yoo, J H, Jung, T-H, Goo, H R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/378/1687/1825; 692/700/139; Adolescent; Adult; Anatomy; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cerebrospinal fluid. Meninges. Spinal cord; Female; Gait Disorders, Neurologic - diagnosis; Gait Disorders, Neurologic - etiology; Gait Disorders, Neurologic - physiopathology; Human Physiology; Humans; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Leg - innervation; Leg - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurochemistry; Neurology; Neuropsychology; Neurosciences; original-article; Paraplegia - diagnosis; Paraplegia - etiology; Paraplegia - physiopathology; Quadriplegia - diagnosis; Quadriplegia - etiology; Quadriplegia - physiopathology; Retrospective Studies; Spinal Cord Injuries - complications; Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1362-4393; 1476-5624
• DOI: 10.1038/sc.2010.158

Study design: Retrospective investigation using gait analysis and medical records. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between ambulatory function improvement and an increase in lower-limb motor scores in persons with motor incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) and to compare the efficiency of lower extremity motor score (LEMS) and ambulatory motor index (AMI) in representation of ambulatory function improvement using gait analysis. Setting: SCI Unit, Yonsei Rehabilitation Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Methods: The gait analysis from 43 patients with SCI (paraplegic, n =22, tetraplegic n =21) were reviewed. The gait analysis data were obtained with Vicon 370 system. The LEMS and AMI were assessed before the gait analysis and the influence of an increase in lower-limb motor scores were investigated with linear parameters of gait analysis. Results: For group including both tetraplegic and paraplegic patients, both AMI and LEMS were statistically correlated with gait speed, step length and negative correlation with double-limb support. However, only LEMS was correlated with cadence. For the paraplegic group, with AMI and LEMS, there were correlation with gait speed, step length and right single-limb support and negative correlation with right double-limb support. However, only LEMS was correlated with left cadence and negative correlation with double-limb support. For the tetraplegic group, only left cadence was statistically correlated with AMI. Conclusion: Both AMI and LEMS were useful in terms of providing information for capability of ambulatory function for the paraplegic group. However, for the tetraplegic group, both AMI and LEMS do not provide sufficient information for ambulatory function of the incomplete SCI patients.