Walking index for spinal cord injury.

Abstract

This review reports on the contemporary possibilities of objective evaluation of walking ability in patients with paraplegia following a spinal cord injury. Current methods of evaluation of walking function, i.e. the ASIA Classification, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Barthel Index and Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) are described. The latest classification, known as the WISCI (Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury) is described in detail. WISCI is the most detailed scale that is also the most sensitive to changes in the patient's walking ability compared to the other scales.