Journal of rehabilitation medicine : official journal of the UEMS European Board of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
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Case Reports
Restoration of walking function in an individual with chronic complete (AIS A) spinal cord injury.
The prognosis for further recovery of motor function 2 years after complete spinal cord injury is poor. This case report describes recovery of walking function in an a 33-year old man two years post T7 spinal cord injury American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A following intensive physical therapy and robotic locomotor training. ⋯ To our knowledge, this is the first report of an individual with chronic spinal cord injury American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A improving in over-ground walking ability following intensive physical therapy and robotic locomotor training. The presence of a neurophysiologically discomplete lesion probably permitted training of operational neural pathways and enabled the development of useful voluntary movement.