• Original Title: Der Zusammenhang zwischen Muskelstatus und Läsionshöhe bei Patienten mit kompletter und inkompletter Querschnittslähmung zur Beurteilung der orthetischen Versorgbarkeit
• Authors: Daniel Sabbagh¹, Jörg Fior², Ralf Gentz²
• Institutions: ¹FIOR & GENTZ GmbH – Scientific Editing, ²FIOR & GENTZ GmbH – Management
• Form of Contribution: presentation
• Congress: 6th Joint Annual Meeting of the German Association for Neurorehabilitation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurorehabilitation e. V., DGNR) and the German Association for Neurotraumatology and Clinical Neurorehabilitation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurotraumatologie und Klinische Neurorehabilitation e. V., DGNKN)
• Location: Bad Godesberg, Germany
• Date: 1–3 December 2016
• Expert Association: German Association for Neurorehabilitation, German Association for Neurotraumatology and Clinical Neurorehabilitation

Summary: Complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries of the lumbar spine and sacral vertebrae cause muscular impairments of the lower extremities. Patients with spinal cord injuries are often treated with wheelchairs. In contrast, orthoses provide more mobility and can improve the gait significantly. Muscle strength is a decisive factor for an optimal orthotic fitting. By determining the number of active muscles in each spinal cord segment, the link between level of injury and muscle strength can be established, which, in turn, makes it possible to evaluate orthotic treatment options. Seven patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries wearing orthoses were examined. The results show that the established link is fully valid for complete spinal cord injuries. In incomplete spinal cord injuries, the muscular impairments are less pronounced depending on the injury, which positively affects the orthotic treatment options.

Keywords: spinal cord injuries, muscle strength, level of injury, orthoses, muscle function test

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