Pilot Study of ADL Score in Paraplegia with Spinal Cord Injury

Evaluation of disorders constitutes an important part of work in rehabilitation medicine. But all of the objective evaluation methods for quantifying ADL have both advantages and disadvantages, and they are often difficult to use. Evaluation and judgment of ADL should be carried out in terms of movements simplified as much as possible. An ADL Score Study Group, consisting of medical co-workers, has been organized, and they have proposed a tentative plan for patients with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury. Method; ADL items were limited to 10, with sub-items limited to two to three per item, to simplify the ADL score as much as possible. The evaluation was carried out in accordance with the followings; 0 point, requiring full assistance, 1 point, partial assistance, 2 points, possible to do activities with insufficient perfectness, 3 points, possible to do activities independently, with a maximum of 99 points. Subjects were 35 patients with complete paralysis due to spinal cord injury. Thirty four persons were males and one was female. Results; Evaluation scores were 81 points for Group A (Spinal cord injury T1-7), 85 points for Group B (Spinal cord injury T8-L1), 95 points for Group C (Spinal cord injury L2 or lower). It was demonstrated that the evaluation of two items, reach and walking, was sufficient for independent patients with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury.