title: One-year follow-up of the effects of community-based ambulation training for ambulatory patients with incomplete spinal cord injury: a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to describe a community-based ambulation training for ambulatory patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) and then to report the results of the training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients with incomplete SCI participated in this study. The indoor and outdoor walking function was assessed at four intervals: pre-training, post-training, and at 4-week and 1-year follow-ups after successful completion of the community-based ambulation training. Training consisted of the four-staged ambulation protocol with weekly-increased environmental demands, which consisted of 1-hour sessions six times a week for a 4-week period (i.e., a total of 24 sessions).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The walking function of all patients was remarkably improved after the training, and these effects were favorably maintained at the 4-week and 1-year follow-ups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the use of community-based ambulation training is a beneficial therapeutic option to improve the walking function of ambulatory patients with incomplete SCI and to offer better opportunities for reintegration into community life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Cheongju University, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea. odduck@cju.ac.kr
authors.forename: Duck-Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyun-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking