Driving Assessment in Spinal Cord Injured Patients
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25759/spmfr.543Keywords:
Spinal Cord Injury, Car Driving, Adaptations, Amputation/rehabilitation, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)Abstract
Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a damage to the spinal cord that has significant repercussions on functionality and participation in basic activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities (IADLs), and can even compromise the ability to drive a car.
This study characterizes a sample of patients who underwent a driving fitness assessment after a SCI, identifying the most common adaptations to vehicles and the restrictions imposed.
Methods: This is an observational, analytical and retrospective study carried out in a rehabilitation center that has a specific consultation for assessing driving ability. The medical records of patients diagnosed with SCI who were assessed in this context over the past two years were reviewed. The variables age, gender, referral, etiology, level of SCI, classification according to the American Spinal Injury Association (AIS) and motor scores were included. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 29.0.0.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), was used for statistical analysis.
Results: A total of 66 patients were included, mostly male (77.3%), with a median age of 59 years, and referred from outpatient clinics (68.2%). Etiology was similarly represented, with non-traumatic spinal cord injury accounting for 50% and traumatic spinal cord injury for 48.5%; the majority of cases were classified as AIS D (71.2%). Most patients were deemed fit to drive (98.48%), with the most frequent adaptations being automatic gear selection (56.1%) and the handbrake (34.8%). A lower motor score in the lower limbs and total motor score were associated with a greater number of adaptations (p<0.001), as were complete injuries (AIS A) (p=0.003).
Conclusion: The level of SCI directly affects autonomy and therefore driving ability. A careful assessment by a doctor, following a pathology or trauma that could compromise this ability, is essential to restore the patients autonomy and enable them to resume driving in a safe and adapted manner.
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