Task-oriented Arm/Hand Skill Rehabilitation and Therapy Dose Dimensions in Subacute Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

Task-oriented Arm/Hand Skill Rehabilitation and Therapy Dose Dimensions in Subacute Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

The study is a multicenter longitudinal observational study. The therapy content and the therapy dosage of arm/skill training for patients with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) will be observed for the primary objective. The aim is to get insight into the current therapy content and the current therapy dosage in arm/hand skill training, with the overall aim to optimize the arm/hand skill training. For the secondary objective, in addition to the patients with cervical SCI also, patients with paraplegia as a result of SCI are included. The aim is to assess the difference between the patient's perceived dose and the therapist's estimation of the therapy dose. This will give insight into the patient's and therapist's views on therapy dose; this information will contribute to optimizing therapy dose in exercise therapy in SCI. The third aim is a pilot study to explore the usability of evening reports in SCI rehabilitation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Primary objective

  1. Have sustained a traumatic or non-traumatic SCI between C1 and T1.
  2. Have an AIS A, B, C or D
  3. Are older than 16 years
  4. Being able to follow standard arm/hand skill training.
  5. Patients in the subacute phase (4-30 weeks post-injury)
  6. Receiving usual care
  7. Able to understand the purpose of the study (understanding Dutch, English, French and German).

• Secondary objective

Add patients with:

1. Persons with SCI (C1-S4)
2. having an AIS A, B, C, D;
3. Are older than 16 years;
4. Patients in the subacute phase (4-30 weeks post-injury)
5. receiving standard care or more intensive care as defined by the SCI-MT trial - Therapists Physiotherapists, occupational therapists and sports therapists with at least two years of experience in SCI rehabilitation

Exclusion Criteria:

1. have any significant medical or physical condition (including pregnancy) or psychiatric illness that could prevent the person from participating in the study
2. are unable/unwilling to provide informed consent.