title: Negotiating identity and self-image: perceptions of falls in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury - a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Explore and describe experiences and perceptions of falls, risk of falling, and fall-related consequences in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) who are still walking.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative interview study applying interpretive content analysis with an inductive approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specialized rehabilitation hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A purposeful sample of 15 individuals (10 men), 23 to 78 years old, 2-34 years post injury with chronic incomplete traumatic SCI, and walking ⩾75% of time for mobility needs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual, semi-structured face-to-face interviews were recorded, condensed, and coded to find themes and subthemes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One overarching theme was revealed: "Falling challenges identity and self-image as normal" which comprised two main themes "Walking with incomplete SCI involves minimizing fall risk and fall-related concerns without compromising identity as normal" and "Walking with incomplete SCI implies willingness to increase fall risk in order to maintain identity as normal". Informants were aware of their increased fall risk and took precautions, but willingly exposed themselves to risky situations when important to self-identity. All informants expressed some conditional fall-related concerns, and a few experienced concerns limiting activity and participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ambulatory individuals with incomplete SCI considered falls to be a part of life. However, falls interfered with the informants' identities and self-images as normal, healthy, and well-functioning. A few expressed dysfunctional concerns about falling, and interventions should target these.
authors.affiliation: 1 Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Sweden.|2 Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Department of Research, Norway.
authors.forename: Vivien
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.affiliation: 1 Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Sweden.|2 Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Department of Research, Norway.
authors.forename: Kirsti Skavberg
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Roaldsen
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012306:Risk; D012649:Self Concept; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Self-identity; accidental falls; content analysis; fall risk awareness; incomplete spinal cord injury