Sensory Information Modulates Voluntary Movement in an Individual with a Clinically Motor- and Sensory-Complete Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report

Motor recovery following a complete spinal cord injury is not likely. This is partially due to insurance limitations. Rehabilitation strategies for individuals with this type of severe injury focus on the compensation for the activities of daily living in the home and community and not on the restoration of function. With limited time in therapies, the initial goals must focus on getting the patient home safely without the expectation of recovery of voluntary movement below the level of injury. In this study, we report a case of an individual with a chronic, cervical (C3)-level clinically motor- and sensory-complete injury who was able to perform voluntary movements with both upper and lower extremities when positioned in a sensory-rich environment conducive to the specific motor task. We show how he is able to intentionally perform push-ups, trunk extensions and leg presses only when appropriate sensory information is available to the spinal circuitry. These data show that the human spinal circuitry, even in the absence of clinically detectable supraspinal input, can generate motor patterns effective for the execution of various upper and lower extremity tasks, only when appropriate sensory information is present. Neurorehabilitation in the right sensory–motor environment that can promote partial recovery of voluntary movements below the level of injury, even in individuals diagnosed with a clinically motor-complete spinal cord injury.