EFFICACY OF A THORACOLUMBAR ACTIVE RESISTANCE REHABILITATION TRAINER VERSUS TRADITIONAL BRIDGE EXERCISES IN SPINAL CORD INJURY: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Keywords:
Spinal cord injury, Active rehabilitation, Bridge exercise, Spinal cord independence measureAbstract
Objective: A thoracolumbar active resistance rehabilitation trainer was developed, aiming to verify its activation effect on the core muscles of the lumbar and abdominal regions in spinal cord injury (SCI) cases and explore the difference in therapeutic efficacy between this trainer and traditional bridge exercises. Methods: A prospective, assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial of 40 SCI inpatients. Participants were allocated to two groups, both alongside conventional rehabilitation. The experimental group received 8 weeks of training with the trainer, while the control group underwent 8 weeks of bridge exercises training. The assessment indicators include surface electromyography, Spinal Cord Independence Measure-III, Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores. Results: The experimental group demonstrated superior abdominal muscle activation versus controls at 8 weeks. Clinically, the experimental group showed greater improvement in functional independence (t=2.599, P=0.019, Cohen'd=1.225), exceeding the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Both groups achieved MCID in walking ability (WISCI) and lumbar function (JOA), with no significant between-group differences. The trainer was safe and rated higher for convenience and usability. Conclusion: The trainer is safe and more effective than bridge exercises for functional independence in SCI rehabilitation, offering practical advantages for diverse settings.References
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