Qualitative Research on Changes in the Body Image of Patients with Spinal Cord Injury -Study Using M-GTA for a Patient with Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury-

Abstract

[Purpose]: Disorders of the body image such as phantom limb and dysesthesia occur in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury. However, patients with traumatic spinal cord injury can acquire movement abilities in rehabilitation. The purpose of this paper was to the reveal changes in the body images of patients with spinal cord injury. [Subject and Methods] : We interviewed a patient with spinal cord injury (Th12, complete paraplegia) and analyzed the results using the Modified Grounded Theory Approach. [Results]: Conception of 2 items, (1) perception of remained area and paralyzed area and (2) sense modality for perception, was provided. [Conclusions] : It is possible that changes in disordered body images were caused by somatosensory perception of the remained area due to their motions and the paralyzed area was sensed by visual perception. In addition, we think that dysesthesia of the paralyzed area could be used for body cognition and construction of the body image in the case of spinal cord injury patients.