Effect of home-based balance training with intermittent visual obstruction on balance and gait performance in people with incomplete spinal cord injury.

Background. Following an incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), despite most of individuals regain standing balance and walking abilities after participation in a rehabilitation program, post-lesion performance continues to be significantly affected resulting in a major challenge for injured people during the activities of daily living. As suggested by prior research, balance and walking deficits in individuals with iSCI can be caused by proprioceptive impairments occurring after the SCI. Additionally, intact visual system seems to dominate over the altered somatosensory and proprioceptive systems, with an increased reliance on visual inputs by people with SCI when maintaining balance.Recently, advanced technology conceived special eyewear with liquid-crystal technology in the lenses to produce intermittent vision obstruction. This special eyewear allows individuals to perform dynamic, functional tasks that, otherwise, could be not performed under a complete visual obstruction. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the intermittent visual deprivation integrated to a home-based balance training in influencing balance and gait performance in individuals with iSCI. Methods. Ten individuals (7 men and 3 women) with chronic iSCI, ASIA level D, were enrolled for this study. Individuals were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 5) that underwent balance training with visual deprivation, and a placebo control group (n = 5) that underwent the same balance exercises program with no visual deprivation (non-active glasses). Balance training program was performed at home and lasted 6 weeks, 3 times per week. Before and after the training, balance and gait were assessed. Results. After completing the training program, balance and gait performance improved significantly in both experimental and placebo control groups. Post-test balance and gait performances improved more in the stroboscopic visual deprivation group than in the placebo control group. Conclusions. Stroboscopic visual deprivation when integrated to balance training can potentiate the recovery of balance and gait in people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI).