Developing Peri-Operative Rehabilitation in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy [AO Spine RECODE-DCM Research Priority Number 6]: An Unexplored Opportunity?

Authors

Timothy F. Boerger, Medical College of WisconsinFollow
Allison S. Hyngstrom, Marquette UniversityFollow
Julio C. Furlan, University of Toronto
Sukhvinder Klasi-Ryan, University of Toronto
Armin Curt, Balgrist University Hospital
Brian K. Kwon, The University of British Columbia
Shekar N. Kurpad, Medical College of WisconsinFollow
Michael G. Fehlings, University of Toronto
James S. Harrop, Thomas Jefferson University
Bizhan Aarabi, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
James D. Guest, University of Miami
Jefferson R. Wilson, University of Toronto
Benjamin M. Davies, University of Cambridge
Mark R. N. Kotter, University of Cambridge
Paul A. Koljonen, The University of Hong Kong

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2022

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Source Publication

Global Spine Journal

Source ISSN

2192-5682

Original Item ID

DOI: 10.1177/21925682211050925

Abstract

Study Design

Narrative review.

Objective

Degenerative cervical myelopathy is one of the most frequent impairments of the spinal cord encountered internationally in adults. Currently, surgical decompression is the recommended treatment for people with DCM (PwCM) presenting with moderate to severe symptoms or neurological deficits. However, despite surgical intervention, not all patients make a complete recovery due to the irreversible tissue damage within the spinal cord. The objective of this review is to describe the state and gaps in the current literature on rehabilitation for PwCM and possible innovative rehabilitation strategies.

Methods

Literature search.

Results

In other neurological disorders such as stroke and acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), timely and strategic rehabilitation has been shown to be indispensable for maximizing functional outcomes, and it is imperative that appropriate perioperative rehabilitative interventions accompany surgical approaches in order to enable the best outcomes. In this review, the current state of knowledge regarding rehabilitation for PwCM is described. Additionally, various therapies that have shown to improve outcomes in comparable neurological conditions such as stroke and SCI which may be translated to DCM will be reviewed.

Conclusions

We conclude that locomotor training and arm/hand therapy may benefit PwCM. Further, we conclude that body weight support, robotic assistance, and virtual/augmented reality therapies may be beneficial therapeutic analogs to locomotor and hand therapies.

Comments

Published version. Global Spine Journal, Vol. 12, No. 1 (February 2022): 97S-108S. DOI. © 2022 The Author(s) and published by SAGE Publications. Used with permission.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Boerger, Timothy F.; Hyngstrom, Allison S.; Furlan, Julio C.; Klasi-Ryan, Sukhvinder; Curt, Armin; Kwon, Brian K.; Kurpad, Shekar N.; Fehlings, Michael G.; Harrop, James S.; Aarabi, Bizhan; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa; Guest, James D.; Wilson, Jefferson R.; Davies, Benjamin M.; Kotter, Mark R. N.; and Koljonen, Paul A., "Developing Peri-Operative Rehabilitation in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy [AO Spine RECODE-DCM Research Priority Number 6]: An Unexplored Opportunity?" (2022). Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications. 205.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/phys_therapy_fac/205