» Articles » PMID: 35174735

Developing Peri-Operative Rehabilitation in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy [AO Spine RECODE-DCM Research Priority Number 6]: An Unexplored Opportunity?

Abstract

Study Design: Narrative review.

Objective: Degenerative cervical myelopathy is one of the most frequent impairments of the spinal cord encountered internationally in adults. Currently, surgical decompression is the recommended treatment for people with DCM (PwCM) presenting with moderate to severe symptoms or neurological deficits. However, despite surgical intervention, not all patients make a complete recovery due to the irreversible tissue damage within the spinal cord. The objective of this review is to describe the state and gaps in the current literature on rehabilitation for PwCM and possible innovative rehabilitation strategies.

Methods: Literature search.

Results: In other neurological disorders such as stroke and acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), timely and strategic rehabilitation has been shown to be indispensable for maximizing functional outcomes, and it is imperative that appropriate perioperative rehabilitative interventions accompany surgical approaches in order to enable the best outcomes. In this review, the current state of knowledge regarding rehabilitation for PwCM is described. Additionally, various therapies that have shown to improve outcomes in comparable neurological conditions such as stroke and SCI which may be translated to DCM will be reviewed.

Conclusions: We conclude that locomotor training and arm/hand therapy may benefit PwCM. Further, we conclude that body weight support, robotic assistance, and virtual/augmented reality therapies may be beneficial therapeutic analogs to locomotor and hand therapies.

Citing Articles

Sexual Dysfunction in Cervical Spondylomyelopathy and Its Prognosis Following Surgical Decompression: A Systematic Review.

Viswanathan V, Muthu S Global Spine J. 2025; 21925682251316484.

PMID: 39837807 PMC: 11752150. DOI: 10.1177/21925682251316484.


Distinct brain network patterns in complete and incomplete spinal cord injury patients based on graph theory analysis.

Yang B, Xin H, Wang L, Qi Q, Wang Y, Jia Y CNS Neurosci Ther. 2024; 30(8):e14910.

PMID: 39185854 PMC: 11345750. DOI: 10.1111/cns.14910.


A minimum data set-Core outcome set, core data elements, and core measurement set-For degenerative cervical myelopathy research (AO Spine RECODE DCM): A consensus study.

Davies B, Yang X, Khan D, Mowforth O, Touzet A, Nouri A PLoS Med. 2024; 21(8):e1004447.

PMID: 39173109 PMC: 11379399. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004447.


Patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and dependency in activities of daily living during hospitalization-descriptive and correlational study.

Sousa S, Andrade M, Fernandes C, Barbeiro S, Taveira V, Martins M Porto Biomed J. 2024; 9(3):252.

PMID: 38911268 PMC: 11191016. DOI: 10.1097/j.pbj.0000000000000252.


Gait Training With Motor Relearning Program in Conjunction With Functional Electrical Stimulation in Quadriparesis Secondary to Cervical and Lumbar Myelopathy.

Akhuj A, Deodhe N, Jachak S Cureus. 2024; 16(2):e54449.

PMID: 38510883 PMC: 10951938. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54449.


References
1.
Doi T, Nakamoto H, Nakajima K, Hirai S, Sato Y, Kato S . Effect of depression and anxiety on health-related quality of life outcomes and patient satisfaction after surgery for cervical compressive myelopathy. J Neurosurg Spine. 2019; 31(6):816-823. DOI: 10.3171/2019.6.SPINE19569. View

2.
Smith A, Knikou M . A Review on Locomotor Training after Spinal Cord Injury: Reorganization of Spinal Neuronal Circuits and Recovery of Motor Function. Neural Plast. 2016; 2016:1216258. PMC: 4879237. DOI: 10.1155/2016/1216258. View

3.
Sharif H, Gammage K, Chun S, Ditor D . Effects of FES-Ambulation Training on Locomotor Function and Health-Related Quality of Life in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil. 2014; 20(1):58-69. PMC: 3919695. DOI: 10.1310/sci2001-58. View

4.
Yoshimatsu H, Nagata K, Goto H, Sonoda K, Ando N, Imoto H . Conservative treatment for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. prediction of treatment effects by multivariate analysis. Spine J. 2003; 1(4):269-73. DOI: 10.1016/s1529-9430(01)00082-1. View

5.
Fehlings M, Tetreault L, Nater A, Choma T, Harrop J, Mroz T . The Aging of the Global Population: The Changing Epidemiology of Disease and Spinal Disorders. Neurosurgery. 2015; 77 Suppl 4:S1-5. DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000000953. View