Effectiveness of intense, activity-based physical therapy for individuals with spinal cord injury in promoting motor and sensory recovery: Is olfactory mucosa autograft a factor?

This study looks at how intense physical therapy affects recovery for people with spinal cord injuries. Rehabilitation programs traditionally strengthen innervated muscles above the injury. The study also compares patients who had a special surgery called olfactory mucosa autograft (OMA) with those who didn't, to see if the surgery helps with recovery when combined with physical therapy. The findings suggest that intense physical therapy can indeed help improve motor skills in people with SCI. However, the OMA surgery didn't seem to provide any extra benefit in terms of motor or sensory recovery compared to intense physical therapy alone.

• 1
  Intense physical therapy improved motor scores significantly in individuals with spinal cord injury.
• 2
  Sensory scores did not improve significantly during the study period with intense physical therapy alone.
• 3
  Having an incomplete SCI or paraplegia was associated with greater motor recovery during intense physical therapy.