Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences The Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 2251-8401 14 1 2025 03 21 Investigating Factors Affecting Walking Ability in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury: A Review Article Investigating Factors Affecting Walking Ability in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury: A Review Article 14 27 1101785 10.32598/SJRM.14.1.3303 FA Seyed Ali Mousavinejad Department of Neurosurgery, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-1374-1647 Zeinab Gasavi Nezhad Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, School of Rehabilitation, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-1374-1647 Navid Golchin Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0001-8986-5710 Kaveh Ebrahimzadeh Skull Base Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-1435-3638 Poya Khodai Ardakani Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, School of Rehabilitation, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0001-6855-063X Mohammad Hallajnejad Department of Neurosurgery, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mokhtar Arazpour Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, School of Rehabilitation, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0001-6855-063X Journal Article 2024 10 22 <strong>Background and Aims</strong> Spinal Cord Injury refers to injuries that result in the loss of sensation and movement below the level of the injury, particularly prevalent among the young population. The improvement of walking and standing abilities in these patients is influenced by multiple factors. Understanding the biological processes in these patients can aid in the development of effective methods to enhance their performance.<br /><strong>Methods </strong>This was a systematic review study that searched for keywords, including syndrome, reflex, gender, level of injury, etiology of injury, age, and time since injury, injury severity, sensory level, spasticity, contracture, orthotic interventions, assistive devices, and robotic-assisted walking exercises. The data were collected from interventional studies in databases such as PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and analyzed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement.<br /><strong>Results </strong>In this study, 82 articles involving a total of 28 684 patients with spinal cord injury were included. Based on demographic information and clinical assessments, the likelihood of successful rehabilitation for walking in these patients is well predictable. Early improvement in quadriceps muscle strength and scores on lower limb motor tests, as well as the age of patients, are significant factors in predicting the potential for regaining walking ability.<br /><strong>Conclusion </strong>The results of this study emphasize the importance of identifying factors affecting the walking quality of patients with spinal cord injuries. Given the lack of research in this area, some of these factors must be examined in future clinical trials to better understand the challenges and opportunities present in the rehabilitation of spinal cord injury patients. <strong>Background and Aims</strong> Spinal Cord Injury refers to injuries that result in the loss of sensation and movement below the level of the injury, particularly prevalent among the young population. The improvement of walking and standing abilities in these patients is influenced by multiple factors. Understanding the biological processes in these patients can aid in the development of effective methods to enhance their performance.<br /><strong>Methods </strong>This was a systematic review study that searched for keywords, including syndrome, reflex, gender, level of injury, etiology of injury, age, and time since injury, injury severity, sensory level, spasticity, contracture, orthotic interventions, assistive devices, and robotic-assisted walking exercises. The data were collected from interventional studies in databases such as PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and analyzed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement.<br /><strong>Results </strong>In this study, 82 articles involving a total of 28 684 patients with spinal cord injury were included. Based on demographic information and clinical assessments, the likelihood of successful rehabilitation for walking in these patients is well predictable. Early improvement in quadriceps muscle strength and scores on lower limb motor tests, as well as the age of patients, are significant factors in predicting the potential for regaining walking ability.<br /><strong>Conclusion </strong>The results of this study emphasize the importance of identifying factors affecting the walking quality of patients with spinal cord injuries. Given the lack of research in this area, some of these factors must be examined in future clinical trials to better understand the challenges and opportunities present in the rehabilitation of spinal cord injury patients. https://medrehab.sbmu.ac.ir/article_1101785_a6ecc384171563e42adf7cf7f897ec85.pdf