Improvements in bladder, bowel and sexual outcomes following task-specific locomotor training in human spinal cord injury.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Locomotor training (LT) as a therapeutic intervention following spinal cord injury (SCI) is an effective rehabilitation strategy for improving motor outcomes, but its impact on non-locomotor functions is unknown. Given recent results of our labs' pre-clinical animal SCI LT studies and existing overlap of lumbosacral spinal circuitries controlling pelvic-visceral and locomotor functions, we addressed whether LT can improve bladder, bowel and sexual function in humans at chronic SCI time-points (> two years post-injury).

Study design

Prospective cohort study; pilot trial with small sample size.

Methods

Eight SCI research participants who were undergoing 80 daily one-hour sessions of LT on a treadmill using body-weight support, or one-hour of LT and stand train

SUBMITTER: Hubscher CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5791974 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature