N Background patients with clinically complete injuries, therapy has TRIALS

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleRehabilitation after spinal cord injury (SCI) has been traditionally based on expectations regarding functional outcomes predicted by the initial level of injury and severity of impairment [1]. It has relied substantially on compensatory strategies for identified impairments and deficits that were considered irremediable, because sig-nificant recovery of motor function was not expected beyond that defined by clinical assessments [2]. Thus, in been primarily directed at activities to improve func-tional independence, e.g., teaching new strategies to move in bed and transfer into and out of a wheelchair, and provision of assistive devices [2]. This strategy is re-liant on strengthening muscles above the spinal lesion level and using leverage, momentum and substitution to move weak or paralyzed parts of the body. While this approach results in improvements of independent function, it does not promote recovery of motor control in the paralyzed limbs [3]. In addition, because of funding limitations available for in-patient rehabilitation