Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects \~42,000 Veterans. The VA provides the single largest network of SCI care in the nation. The lifetime financial burden of SCI can exceed $3 million. A major cost of SCI is impaired mobility. Limited mobility contributes to decreased ability to work, increased care requirements, secondary injury, depression, bone mineral density loss, diabetes, and decreased cardiovascular health. Among ambulatory individuals with iSCI, residual balance deficits are common and are strongly correlated with both functional walking ability and participation in walking activities. The development of effective rehabilitation tools to improve dynamic balance would substantially improve quality of life for Veterans living with iSCI. Improving mobility through interventions that enhance dynamic balance would positively impact health, independence, and the ability to integrate into social, intellectual, and occupational environments.
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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Functional Gait Assessment (FGA)
Timeframe: Pre-training assessment (Baseline), Mid-training assessment (after 10 sessions, ~5 weeks from Baseline), Post-training assessment (after 20 sessions, ~10 weeks from Baseline), Follow-up assessment (3 month from Post, ~6 months from Baseline)
Lateral Center of Mass Excursion
Timeframe: Pre-training assessment (Baseline), Mid-training assessment (after 10 sessions, ~5 weeks from Baseline), Post-training assessment (after 20 sessions, ~10 weeks from Baseline), Follow-up assessment (3 month from Post, ~6 months from Baseline)
Daily Stepping
Timeframe: Pre-training assessment (Baseline), Post-training assessment (after 20 sessions, ~10 weeks from Baseline), Follow-up assessment (3 month from Post, ~6 months from Baseline)