ABSTRACT

Introduction: Postural control of the trunk is essential for normal function of upper extremities. For people with a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury, special emphasis is placed on improving the static and dynamic balance of the trunk in a sitting position in order to achieve the best possible efficiency of the upper extremities when performing activities of daily life.

Aim: The aim is to investigate the possibilities for improving postural control and balance in the sitting position in persons with spinal cord injury and how this is reflected in the function of the upper extremities.

Materials and methods: The literature was searched in the electronic database PubMed, and the keywords spinal cord injury, trunk stability, postural control and stimulation were used.

Results: After filtering the available papers based on the selected criteria, 10 papers were taken into detailed analysis, the subject matter of which corresponds to the search objectives.

Conclusion: In order to achieve better postural control of the trunk in a sitting position, and thus the functional efficiency of the upper extremities, physiotherapy procedures are carried out that stimulate the neuroplasticity of the central nervous system. Movement therapy, together with certain forms of electrostimulation leads to the activation of preserved nerve structures as well as affected muscles below the level of injury in order to restore muscle strength and improve functional abilities by strengthening them.

Key words: spinal cord injury, postural control, trunk stability, electrostimulation, balance