The Effect of 12 Weeks of Rebound Therapy Exercise Training on Walking Ability of Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Abstract

Background: Walking ability is a crucial factor for recovery and rehabilitation of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 12 weeks of rebound therapy on walking parameters in SCI patients. Methods: Thirty members of Isfahan Spinal Cord Injury Association participated in this experimental study using a convenience sampling method. This study was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Isfahan (IR.UI.REC.1400.118). The participants were randomly assigned to control and rebound groups using a matched randomization method. Data were collected before and after 12 weeks of rebound therapy exercise (three sessions per week) in the walking laboratory, using a seven-camera 3D motion capturing system (Qualisys motion analysis). The final data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS software (significance level p < .05). Results: Rebound therapy training significantly improved all dependent variables (p < .05) except hip rotation, indicating its effectiveness for enhancing walking ability. Conclusion: Given the importance of walking function, we recommend the use of rebound therapy training as an exercise rehabilitation method for spinal cord injury patients.