Effectiveness of Activity-Based Therapy for Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury in Promoting Static and Dynamic Sitting Balance: Is Olfactory Mucosa Autograft a Factor?

This study investigates the effectiveness of activity-based therapy (ABT) on sitting balance for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). ABT aims to improve muscle activation or sensory function below the level of SCI without relying on compensatory mechanisms. The study also explores whether olfactory mucosa autograft (OMA), a procedure involving the transplantation of cells from the nasal lining, influences the response to ABT in terms of sitting balance improvements. Sitting balance, both static (sitting strength) and dynamic (reaching), is critical for performing functional activities after SCI, and the study aims to determine if ABT can improve these aspects.

• 1
  ABT appeared to promote improvements in sitting strength in four directions (0.6-0.8 kg per month) and dynamic balance in four of five directions (0.7-1.3 cm per month).
• 2
  Individuals who had undergone an OMA had similar, but not greater, improvements in static and dynamic balance when compared with those who had ABT alone.
• 3
  The rate of strength improvement (slope) was small (0.61-0.81 kg per month).