Article

OBJECTIVES: To primarily explore types of
ambulatory assistive device (AAD) used and secondarily describe walking
performance in independent ambulatory patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) who
walked without and with various AADs as determined using walking speed and
distance walked in 6 min. SETTING: A tertiary rehabilitation center and community
hospitals, Thailand. METHODS: The data of 195 independent ambulatory patients
with SCI were used to describe the use of an AAD. Among these, only 140 subjects
were assessed for their walking speed and distance walked in 6 min. RESULTS: More
than half of the subjects (64%) walked with an AAD in which most of them used a
standard walker (45%), followed by a single-tip cane (11%) and bilateral crutches
(8%), respectively. The walking speed and distance showed significant differences
among the groups (P<0.001), except those who used walker versus crutches, and
those who used crutches versus cane (P>0.05). Among the significant variables,
types of AAD used had the greatest influence on walking speed and distance of the
subjects. CONCLUSION: More than half of ambulatory subjects with SCI walked with
an AAD in which most of them used a standard walker. However, the non-significant
differences of walking performance between the groups may suggest the
heterogeneity of walking ability in subjects who used the same type of AAD.
Therefore, a method to facilitate the use of an AAD with less supportive ability
would increase levels of independence for the patients.

Langue : ANGLAIS