Rehabilitation technologies and interventions for individuals with spinal cord injury: translational potential of current trends

Abstract

In the past, neurorehabilitation for individuals with neurological damage, such as spinal cord injury (SCI), was focused on learning compensatory movements to regain function. Presently, the focus of neurorehabilitation has shifted to functional neurorecovery, or the restoration of function through repetitive movement training of the affected limbs. Technologies, such as robotic devices and electrical stimulation, are being developed to facilitate repetitive motor training; however, their implementation into mainstream clinical practice has not been realized. In this commentary, we examined how current SCI rehabilitation research aligns with the potential for clinical implementation. We completed an environmental scan of studies in progress that investigate a physical intervention promoting functional neurorecovery. We identified emerging interventions among the SCI population, and evaluated the strengths and gaps of the current direction of SCI rehabilitation research. Seventy-three study postings were retrieved through website and database searching. Study objectives, outcome measures, participant characteristics and the mode(s) of intervention being studied were extracted from the postings. The FAME (Feasibility, Appropriateness, Meaningfulness, Effectiveness, Economic Evidence) Framework was used to evaluate the strengths and gaps of the research with respect to likelihood of clinical implementation. Strengths included aspects of Feasibility, as the research was practical, aspects of Appropriateness as the research aligned with current scientific literature on motor learning, and Effectiveness, as all trials aimed to evaluate the effect of an intervention on a clinical outcome. Aspects of Feasibility were also identified as a gap; with two thirds of the studies examining emerging technologies, the likelihood of successful clinical implementation was questionable. As the interventions being studied may not align with the preferences of clinicians and priorities of patients, the Appropriateness of these interventions for the current health care environment was questioned. Meaningfulness and Economic Evidence were also identified as gaps since few studies included measures reflecting the perceptions of the participants or economic factors, respectively. The identified gaps will likely impede the clinical uptake of many of the interventions currently being studied. Future research may lessen these gaps through a staged approach to the consideration of the FAME elements as novel interventions and technologies are developed, evaluated and implemented.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12984-018-0386-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…Particularly, the aim of this review was to compile the endeavors being done in the field, to show which areas could be enriched with the use of technologies and interactive systems. Technology is being increasingly incorporated to rehabilitation processes, providing additional benefits such as providing real-time feedback or making the exercises more attractive, increasing adherence to treatment [6,7]. …”

Noninvasive Modalities Used in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

“…Some of these modalities are already being widely introduced into the clinical rehabilitation of SCI, such as TENS and FES. However, the actual uptake of technology in the clinical setting, especially for SCI rehabilitation, has been very low [5]. There are still some barriers to the clinical implementation of these techniques.…”

“…Three of those barriers are the feasibility, appropriateness, and the cost. While the research here described is practical for SCI rehabilitation, some of these techniques are less practicable: they require specialized equipment and knowledge, which make them less feasible [5]. Despite the scientific evidence in favor of these technologies, the expertise required to operate and repair emerging technology is usually not found in the clinical setting, which makes it less appropriate.…”

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