Pivotal Role of Cervical Rotation for Rehabilitation Outcomes in Patients with Subaxial Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

Abstract Background: Limitation of active cervical range of motion as a sequel of both spinal instrumentation and neurological injury may occur after Cervical Spinal Cord Injury (CSCI) surgery. The majority of tasks performed in daily life require a minimum of Active Cervical Range of Motion (ACROM). The aim of this study was to report ACROM in patients with subaxial CSCI, and in a control group with asymptomatic cervical spine. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 46 cases of traumatic complete motor CSCI and 41 asymptomatic cases. Patients underwent quantitative measurement of ACROM on six movements, using an analogue inclinometer, and rehabilitation status assessment on the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) III. Results: Forty-six CSCI cases and 41 asymptomatic controls were included. Mean flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral inclination were significantly lower in the CSCI group than in controls (p Conclusions: CSCI significantly affected ACROM. Also, restriction of cervical rotation had significant negative correlation with SCIM-III self-care subscores.