UCLA study explores differing therapies

February 27, 2006

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- A UCLA study shows patients with partial spinal cord injuries achieve functional walking speeds regardless of which of two types of therapy they receive.

The scientists found body weight-supported treadmill training is not any more effective than conventional mobility rehabilitation for restoring movement in an unexpectedly high number of such patients.

"We initially expected that body weight-supported treadmill training would be more effective to regain walking ability than the conventional overground mobility therapy..."said study author Dr. Bruce Dobkin of the Reed Neurologic Research Center at UCLA. "But what we found was no significant difference in strategies among individuals ... who achieved walking abilities beyond expectations."

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