Journal of Research and Development
Open Access

Abstract

Association of Lower Limb Muscle Strength and Walking Ability in individuals with incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Parneet Kaur Bedi and Narkeesh Arumugam

To quantify relationship among lower limb muscle strength and walking ability in individuals with incomplete SCI. Twenty-one participants were recruited in the present study (aged between 21 to 50 years; AIS levels C and D) with iSCI. Physical therapy was delivered in the form of activity based therapy to all of the participants for a period of 24 weeks and association between lower limb muscle strength and walking ability was determined. Lower limb muscle strength and walking ability as measured through Spinal Cord Functional Ambulatory Index was found to be co-related both at baseline and at the end of 24 weeks protocol. Significant co-relation exists between lower limb muscle strength and SCI-FAI and is suggestive of important implication on designing protocol for rehabilitation of individuals with SCI.