title: The Rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injury Patients in Europe.
abstract: In Western European countries there is an incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) of 16 to 19.4 new cases per million inhabitants per year. Since World War II, European physicians have been fundamental in the development of SCI medicine, starting from Sir Ludwig Guttman, who developed the idea of the integrated treatment of these patients. More recently, scientists from Germany and Switzerland have developed a new rehabilitative approach, Body Weight Support Treadmill Training, based on the concept of activity-based therapy and aimed at restoring walking in SCI patients. This review highlights issues concerning different organizational systems and health policies within and outside Europe.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Cord Unit, IRCCS S. Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy. g.scivoletto@hsantalucia.it.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scivoletto
authors.affiliation: Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miscusi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neursciences NESMOS, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forcato
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serrao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cerignola Civic Hospital, Cerignola(FG), Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellitti
authors.affiliation: Departement of Neurosciences NESMOS, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raco
mesh_terms: D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D000066530:Neurological Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*
keywords: Historical perspective; Rehabilitation; Spinal Cord Injury