Rehabilitation of the Upper Extremity With Enhanced Proprioceptive Feedback Following Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

The task involves picking up, transporting, and placing six objects (i.e., peg, paperweight, fork, block, can, and videotape). Movement of each of the 6 objects is scored based on the number of times the participant can move the object in 30 seconds, with a minimum score of zero if no objects are successfully moved. A cumulative score is based on the sum of all completed movements for all 6 objects.

ISNCSCI Assessment of motor function (upper limb only). Scores on a scale ranging from 0 (i.e., total paralysis) - 5 (i.e., full range of motion) for each of 5 upper limb muscle groups. Total score represents the overall level of the upper limb impairment and represents the sum of the 5 scores from the 5 upper limb muscle groups. Accordingly, the total score has a range of 0-25, with 0 representing a completely paralyzed upper limb and 25 representing a normally functioning upper limb.

Measures the subject's sensory perception, with eyes closed, of a light touch by the tester on 9 key sensory points of the hand, arm, shoulder and neck. Sensation at each key point is rated as a number on a scale from 0 (no feeling) to 2 (normal feeling), with a score of 1 representing partly diminished feeling. The overall sensation of the upper limb and nearby areas is represented as the sum of all 9 individual key point scores and, therefore, has an overall range of 0-18, with higher scores representing better sensation.

Measures the subject's sensory perception, with eyes closed, of a light prick of a safety pin produced by the tester on 9 key sensory points of the hand, arm, shoulder and neck. Sensation at each key point is rated as a number on a scale from 0 (no feeling) to 2 (normal feeling), with a score of 1 representing partly diminished feeling. The overall sensation of the upper limb and nearby areas is represented as the sum of all 9 individual key point scores and, therefore, has an overall range of 0-18, with higher scores representing better sensation.

Measures the functional movement in the upper limb of people with cervical spinal cord injury. The short version of this test includes a total of 10 different functional tasks to be performed by the subject with the upper limb. For example, one task is to reach and pick up a filled Coke bottle, set it down, and then replace it in its original position. Each task is scored on a scale of 0-5, 0 representing inability to perform the task and 5 representing normal movement. A single, total score is calculated as the sum of the scores on the 10 tasks, and therefore, has an overall range of 0-50, with higher scores representing better performance.

Measurement of joint stiffness (tone/spasticity). Score is based on sum of MAS value for 4 muscle groups: (1) Wrist/finger flexors, (2) Wrist/finger extensors, (3) elbow flexors, and (4) elbow extensors. Each muscle group and direction is score on a scale of 0 (no increase in muscle tone) to 5 (rigid), with a score of 2 used instead of 1+. A single overall score representing the sum of all 4 muscle groups and directions is used and has a range of 0-20 with higher scores representing more severe impairment.

Subjective questionnaire of participants' self-perceptions of upper limb function that contains 17 questions relating to the use of the right upper limb, the same 17 relating to the use of the lower upper limb, plus two additional questions relating to bimanual function. Responses to each item of the questionnaire has a range of 1 (i.e., "totally limited") to 7 (i.e., "not at all limited"). A total cumulative score used for the study is based on the sum of the responses to all 34 questions (i.e., 16 right arm, 16 left arm, 2 both arms), and therefore has a cumulative score range of 32 - 224, with higher scores indicating more function.

Maximum strength of thumb-and-fingers in extension.

Pre-training score is average of a total of 3 scores, including 1 score from each of the first 3 days of training. Post-training score is average of a total of 3 scores, including 1 score from each of the last 3 days of training.

Maximum strength of Thumb/fingers in Flexion

Pre-training score is average of a total of 9 efforts, including 3 efforts from the first 3 days of training. Post-training score is average of a total of 9 efforts, including 3 efforts from the last 3 days of training.

Maximum wrist strength in extension

Pre-training score is average of a total of 9 efforts, including 3 efforts from the first 3 days of training. Post-training score is average of a total of 9 efforts, including 3 efforts from the last 3 days of training.

Maximum strength in flexion direction

Pre-training score is average of a total of 9 efforts, including 3 efforts from the first 3 days of training. Post-training score is average of a total of 9 efforts, including 3 efforts from the last 3 days of training.

Tracking task for the thumb and finger, i.e., opening and closing the hand. The participant tracks a target box on a video screen by actively moving the thumb and fingers, first in the opening direction, then closing, and finally opeining again. The participant's thumb-and-finger position is represented on the video screen by a vertical line that he/she attempts to keep in the the target box. Performance on this task is scored as the amount of time, in seconds, that the participant keeps the line in the target box. The maximum total score in this test is 60 seconds. The "Pre-training Score" is the average score obtained during the first 3 days of training, and the Post-training Score" is average score obtained during the last 3 days of training.

Tracking task for the wrist, i.e., flexing (i.e., pull with the front of the hand) and extending (i.e., pushing with the back of the hand). The participant tracks a target box on a video screen by actively moving the hand at the wrist, first in the extension direction, then flexion, and finally extension again. The participant's wrist position is represented on the video screen by a vertical line that he/she attempts to keep in the the target box. Performance on this task is scored as the amount of time, in seconds, that the participant keeps the line in the target box. The maximum total score in this test is 60 seconds. The "Pre-training Score" is the average score obtained during the first 3 days of training, and the Post-training Score" is average score obtained during the last 3 days of training.