What is the study about?
Survival within two years after spinal cord injury (SCI) has greatly improved over the past few decades, although long-term survival after the first two years has not shown significant improvement. However, people with SCI still have higher rates of mortality than people without SCI. To better ...
What is the study about?
The study evaluated how technique used during wheelchair transfers related to shoulder pain and injury in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Since wheelchair users depend on their arms to perform most of their daily activities, muscles and tendons around the shoulder often get overused and ...
What is the study about?
This study examined changes to shoulder tendons as people with spinal cord injury (SCI) transferred to and from a wheelchair. When people with SCI transfer they repeatedly stress their shoulder tendons, including the biceps and supraspinatus. It is possible that overuse may lead to tendon changes ...
This is a podcast-brief from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center.
Patient: You want me to transfer on my own?
PT: Yes, you’re ready. We have practiced together what to do.
It’s important for most anyone who uses a wheelchair after spinal cord injury to learn proper transfer techniques. It helps you minimize ...
Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Transfer Assessment Instrument Questionnaire (TAI-Q), a self-assessment measure to evaluate transfer quality compared with clinician-reported measures.
Design: Participants self-assessed transfers from their wheelchair to a mat table using the TAI-Q. For session 1, participants self-assessed their transfer both before and after reviewing a ...
Background: Proper transfer technique is associated with improved biomechanics and decreased pain and pathology. However, many users do not use proper technique, and appropriate assessment and training are needed to address these deficits. The transfer assessment instrument (TAI) 4.0 was designed to meet those needs and improve on past versions ...
Objectives: To determine the efficacy of a web-based transfer training module at improving transfer technique across 3 groups: web-based training, in-person training (current standard of practice), and a waitlist control group (WLCG); and secondarily, to determine subject factors that can be used to predict improvements in transfer ability after training.
Design: ...
Transferring in and out of your wheelchair puts higher stress on your arms and shoulders than anything else you do on a regular basis. Learning the correct way to transfer is extremely important in order to keep your arms functioning and pain-free.
The pressure relief technique you use will depend on your level of injury, the type of wheelchair you use and how much movement and strength you have in your arms and shoulders.
Tilting or reclining
If you are unable to perform independent pressure reliefs, you can use a power tilt wheelchair for ...
What is the study about?
This study examined the effect of wheelchair transfers and transfer technique on wheelchair users’ median nerve, which is located in the wrist; damage to the nerve can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. It linked ultrasound measures of the median nerve with how an individual performed wheelchair ...
A pressure sore (also called pressure ulcer, decubitus ulcer, decubiti (plural), bedsore or skin breakdown) is an area of the skin or underlying tissue (muscle, bone) that is damaged due to loss of blood flow to the area. Blood flow to the skin keeps it alive and healthy. If the ...
What do I need to know?
Individuals with SCI are at high risk for developing pressure sores.
Pressure sores can be life threatening.
Possible complications:
Infections can develop and spread to the blood, heart and bone.
Amputations
Prolonged bed rest necessary for healing can keep you out of work, school and social activities for months.
Because ...
What do I need to know?
Ninety-five percent of all pressure sores are preventable!
After spinal cord injury, your skin requires daily care and a lot of attention.
You will need to spend time daily cleaning the skin, keeping it dry (from incontinence or perspiration), checking the skin for problems or changes, moving ...
What is skin tolerance?
Skin tolerance is how much time your skin can stand to be under pressure before damage starts to occur. Each person's skin tolerance is different. Some people may need to relieve pressure very often, others may not have to do it as often, but they still need ...
Areas where bones are close to the surface (called "bony prominences") and areas that are under the most pressure are at greatest risk for developing pressure sores.
In bed, body parts can be padded with pillows or foam to keep bony prominences (areas where bones are close to the skin surface) ...
How can I tell if I have a pressure sore?
First signs. One of the first signs of a possible skin sore is a reddened, discolored or darkened area (an African American’s skin may look purple, bluish or shiny). It may feel hard and warm to the touch.
A pressure sore has ...
What is a urinary tract infection?
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in your urinary system. This system includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
What causes UTI?
The most common cause of UTI starts when bacteria enter the bladder through the urethra. The bacteria may multiply in the bladder to ...
What is the study about?
This study examines whether there is a link between spiritual well-being, demographic characteristics, quality of life and depressive symptoms following spinal cord injury (SCI). Specifically, this study looks at to what extent spiritual well-being has on quality life and depressed mood, and if meaning-focused spirituality has ...
What is the study about?
The main purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between depression and severity of pain among patients with a recent spinal cord injury or disease. The study also examined patient characteristics, neurological function and etiology (traumatic vs. non-traumatic).
What did the study find?
Demographic and neurological ...
What is the study about?
This study examined the effectiveness of the medication Venlafaxine in treating pain in people with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The medication, Venlafaxine XR, is a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). In addition to measuring its effectiveness for treating depression, the researchers were interested in measuring ...