Rehabilitation technologies for spinal injury

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a temporary or permanent impairment in the spinal cord’s normal motor, sensory, or autonomic function below the level of the lesion causing significant functional impairments in individuals. Restoration of gait is one of the major rehabilitation goals for SCI patients, along with recovery of upper limb control and other functions. When treating an individual with SCI, the ultimate objective is complete reparation of the functional damage, which is presently not yet possible. However, both human and animal studies in neuroplasticity have shown that the spinal cord has some potential to reorganize despite the loss of supraspinal input and utilize the remaining peripheral input to control stepping and standing. Therefore, optimally leveraging the interaction of neuroplasticity with technological devices to restore functionality in these individuals is the main focus of current research efforts in neurorehabilitation. In this chapter, we briefly review the clinical aspects of SCI and present a summary of the present and future approaches for rehabilitation of SCI patients and discuss how these techniques may restore function and potentially promote recovery in these patients.