Investigating Kinematic and Electromyographic Changes After SCI and Their Relation to Clinical and Functional Outcome
Investigating Kinematic and Electromyographic Changes After SCI and Their Relation to Clinical and Functional Outcome
The study aims at discerning specific gait patterns and elucidating locomotor control of
 spinal cord injured patients in order to find sensitive kinematic and electromyographic
 outcome measures that are able to reveal information on underlying mechanisms of normal and
 aberrant gait control and its recovery over time. These measures may also be used to compare
 the outcome across different neurological disorders.
Inclusion Criteria:

 Patients: We will monitor patients who were admitted to the Spinal Cord Injury Center of
 the University Hospital Balgrist. We will record patients with various aetiologies, grades
 of impairment and types of spinal cord lesions. Patients need to have minimal voluntary
 motor capacities: the motor scores of the key muscles according to the ASIA classification
 (www.asia-spinalinjury.org) should be at least 3 for extensor muscles and 2 for flexor
 muscles. Written informed consent is required. Control subjects: Healthy subjects, written
 informed consent.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 Patients: Comorbidities which influence or inhibit gait or upper-limb motion (e.g.
 peripheral nerve lesions). Orthostatic problems that greatly impair upright body position.
 Mental illness, cognitive impairments. Control subjects: neurologic disease, walking
 disabilities, mental illness, cognitive impairments