Use of clinical measures to document the effect of passive cycling on knee extensor spasticity and the ability to perform activities of daily living in spinal cord injury: a case report

Int J Rehabil Res. 2018 Mar;41(1):92-94. doi: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000269.

Abstract

The effects, on spasticity-related clinical measure results [initial knee flexion velocity during the pendulum test (F1-VEL); Spinal Cord Injury Spasticity Evaluation Tool (SCI-SET) scores], of a 5-week passive cycling program were assessed in a 67-year-old man with chronic, complete, thoracic-level SCI. Three weekly evaluations were performed before and after training, at the start, middle, and end of the training (ET), and 24 h following ET. The F1-VEL increased significantly from baseline, from ET to the 2-week follow-up evaluation. A trend was found for an improvement from baseline in SCI-SET scores, from middle of training onwards. These findings, which can inform clinical decisions and clinical trial development, suggest that the F1-VEL pendulum test result may be used to document the effect on knee extensor spasticity of a passive cycling program in chronic, complete, thoracic-level SCI. Whether this is also true for the SCI-SET requires future confirmation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living*
  • Aged
  • Bicycling*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle Spasticity / etiology
  • Muscle Spasticity / rehabilitation*
  • Patient Outcome Assessment*
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / complications
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / rehabilitation*