Abstract 120: Range Of Motor Recovery And Functional Independence In Cervical-level Spinal Cord Injury: Implications For Peripheral Nerve Transfer Surgery To Restore Upper Limb Function

摘要

Purpose: Functional gains can occur for years post spinal cord injury (SCI), but candidacy for nerve transfers can be time sensitive due to axon and muscle degeneration after injury. To identify eligibility criteria and allow for optimal timing of restorative surgical treatment for cervical SCI, more precise information is needed on spontaneous motor recovery and independence in activities of daily living within the first year after injury. This study evaluated the improvement in upper limb motor strength and functional independence with no surgical intervention at differing levels of cervical SCI.