MOTOR RECOVERY FOLLOWING SPINAL-CORD INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS - A COLLABORATIVE STUDY

A prospective multicenter study was conducted within the National Mode l Spinal Cord Injury System program to examine neurological deficits a nd recovery patterns following spinal cord injury (SCI) in individuals with cervical spondylosis and without a spinal fracture. Nineteen pat ients were evaluated. Sixty-eight percent presented intially with moto r incomplete lesions. Of those who presented with motor incomplete inj uries at their initial examination, 69 percent had less deficit in the lower than in the upper extremities, indicative of a central cord syn drome. At follow-up, 12 subjects were unable to ambulate, four require d assistance and three were able to ambulate independently. On the ave rage, subjects doubled their initial Asia Motor Score (AMS) scores by one year following injury. Residual upper extremity weakness, however, limited the ability to ambulate. Recovery of motor strength in this g roup is comparable to that of individuals with incomplete tetraplegia in general but the proportion who regain ambulatory function is less.