Ambulatory Status in Patients with Spina Bifida

Factors determining ambulation with spina bifida were studied in 39 patients. There were 20 males and 19 females, with a mean age of 24 years (range: 9 to 47). The sacral and fifth-lumbar paraplegics, with one exception, were all ambulators. The thoracic and first lumbar paraplegics were not ambulators. Only 12% of the third paraplegics, and 50% of the fourth lumbar paraplegics were able to walk. In the third and fourth lumbar paraplegics, obesity and hip dislocation mostly affected their ambulatory status.