Effect of Overground Training Augmented By Mental Practice On Gait Velocity in Chronic, Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigates whether combining mental practice (MP) with overground training (OT) improves gait velocity in people with chronic, incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). The researchers compared a group receiving OT only to a group receiving OT plus MP. Volunteers were recruited from rehabilitation clinics and SCI support groups. Participants were assessed on gait velocity, mobility, independence, and life satisfaction at multiple points during the study. The study found that overground training improved gait velocity. However, adding mental practice to overground training did not result in further improvements in gait velocity or other measures.

• 1
  Overground training (OT) was associated with a significant increase in gait velocity across all subjects at both 1 week and 12 weeks post-therapy.
• 2
  There were no significant differences in intervention response between the group receiving overground training plus mental practice (MP + OT) and the group receiving overground training only (OT).
• 3
  The addition of mental practice to overground training did not result in significant improvements in Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), Spinal Cord Injury Independence Measure (SCIM), or Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) scores.