Changes in ambulation parameters in spinal cord injury individuals following rehabilitation.

The energy cost and gait parameters of 10 spinal cord injury patients (mean age = 21.7 +/- 2.3 years) were measured at discharge from initial rehabilitation and at 1 year follow-up. At follow-up testing patients walked faster (59.5 m/minute vs 40.4 m/minutes; p less than 0.001), more efficiently (0.26 ml O2/kg.m vs 0.40 ml O2/kg.m; p less than 0.05) had slower heart rates (115 beats/minute vs 133 beats/minute; p less than 0.01), and required decreased axial load on upper extremity assistive devices (18% body weight vs 26% body weight; p less than 0.03). At follow-up testing, those patients with remaining weakness in the lower limbs had greater conditioning effects (increased rate of oxygen consumption and oxygen pulse) than those patients with relatively stronger limbs. These findings indicate that clinicians can expect significant improvements in functional ambulation performance in the first year following initial rehabilitation due to improved strength and conditioning.