Effects of a Home-Based Rehabilitation on Anthropometric Measures, Sensory-Motor Functions and Independence After Spinal Cord Injury

Background: The scarcity of resources for spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation constitutes a significant obstacle, particularly in war-torn regions experiencing a rise in such injuries. Implementing a home-based rehabilitative program (HBRP) tailored to patients' environmental, social, and financial contexts is crucial in mitigating this challenge. The authors investigated the effects of a 24-month HBRP on anthropometric measurements, muscular strength, sensory and motor function, and independence in participants transitioning from bed to walking following SCI. Methods: Serial case study in a quasi-experimental design, the conducting was at the participants' homes. The participants were four patients with SCI (experimental group) and another two patients with SCI (control group). The interventions were a 24-month HBRP comprising strength, flexibility, and balance training, the outcome measures involved anthropometric measurements, muscle strength using a digital handheld dynamometer, muscle thickness, and cross-sectional area measured using magnetic resonance imaging, measured five walking tests, and the American Spinal Injury Association scale (ASIA) score for assess the sensory and motor score, and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM).