State of the Art
摘要
Walking is an extraordinarily complex task requiring the integration of the entire nervous system, making gait susceptible to a variety of underlying neurologic abnormalities, such as Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) and stroke. Mobility impairments affect the quality of life of people with neurological injuries, including their reintegration into social and productive activities [1] Estimates of SCI prevalence widely vary across countries, with incidence rates from 52 to 56 cases per 1.000.000 inhabitants [2]. The average age of SCI is 33 years old, with men more affected than women with a 3.8:1 ratio [3]. From these, more than 95% experience mobility impairments [4], which can extend from complete paralysis to varying capacities of voluntary muscle activation and sensation [3]. Similarly, stroke is the third-leading cause of death and disability combined in the world, with an estimated incidence of 12 million cases each year, of whom five million become permanently disabled [5]. Despite both being injuries that affect the central nervous system, the structure affected by each of them is different, and thus, their clinical consequences. Specific scales and classification systems have been developed by international organizations to define the type of injury and degree of impairment that might arise after each of these neurological injuries.