FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY IN PATIENTS WITH POST-TRAUMATIC SPINAL CORD INJURIES: AN OUTCOME OF GROSS MOBILITY AT PARAPLEGIC CENTER PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcomes of gross mobility after physical therapy interventions undertaken at the Paraplegic Center Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan for functional recovery of patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI).METHODS: This sequential intervention trial was conducted from June 2016 to July 2017, at Paraplegic Center Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Using consecutive sampling technique, a total of 76 persons with paraplegia were included. Persons with tetraplegia were excluded. Motor relearning program (MRP) was applied three hours per day in a standardized intervention, 3 days per week. The post intervention evaluation was done by using spinal cord independence measure (SCIM) scale. Data was analyzed in SPSS version 20.0, where the mean score of post intervention (for each six visits) was compared to see the improvement. ANOVA was used and a p value of 100meters), wheelchair-car transfer & ground-wheelchair transfers showed significant improvement (p<0.01) during six visits. However, no significant improvement was observed in stair management (p=0.13).CONCLUSION: Physical therapy based on a MRP is an effective tool for improvement of gross mobility in persons with SCI.