Locomotor-respiratory coupling in ambulatory adults with incomplete spinal cord injury

Spinal Cord Series and Cases, 2022 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-022-00515-9 · Published: April 14, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Physiology Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study looks at how breathing and walking are coordinated in people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). This coordination, called locomotor-respiratory coupling (LRC), might be important for rehabilitation. The researchers compared LRC in adults with iSCI to able-bodied individuals. They measured how consistently breaths were timed with steps during walking. The study found that people with iSCI showed similar or even greater LRC than able-bodied people. This suggests that the pathways in the body that control this coordination are still working in people with iSCI who can walk.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

5 iSCI adults (4 males, 1 female) and 5 able-bodied controls (2 males, 3 females)

Evidence Level

Level III; Observational, analytical cohort study

Key Findings

1
Participants with iSCI demonstrated significantly more LRC than able-bodied controls during over ground walking.
2
During treadmill walking, there was no significant difference in LRC between the iSCI group and the able-bodied control group.
3
The study suggests that pathways coordinating breathing and walking may remain intact in individuals who walk independently after iSCI.

Research Summary

This study compared locomotor-respiratory coupling (LRC) in ambulatory adults with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) to able-bodied controls during over ground and treadmill walking. The results indicated that participants with iSCI demonstrated similar or greater LRC compared to able-bodied controls, suggesting that neural pathways for coordinating breathing and walking remain intact after iSCI. These findings suggest that rehabilitation strategies may be developed to leverage these preserved pathways to improve both walking and breathing outcomes in individuals with iSCI.

Practical Implications

Rehabilitation Strategies

Understanding LRC may help in developing comprehensive rehab strategies for walking and breathing in iSCI patients.

Feed-forward Context Investigations

Further research altering breathing rhythm to determine effects on LRC or walking control may be valuable.

LRC and Locomotor Behaviors

Investigating LRC during other locomotor behaviors like cycling could allow exploration in people with more severe iSCI.

Study Limitations

1
The iSCI group characteristics were not fully matched to those in the control group.
2
The individuals with iSCI were older (mean age of 40 years) than the individuals in the control group, and 4 of 5 individuals with iSCI were male.
3
The results of this study may not generalize to other individuals with iSCI, such as those with more severe injuries and greater impairments.

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