Article

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.

Langue : ANGLAIS