Journal of Novel Physiotherapies
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a high cost disabling condition, which brings a huge number of changes in individual’s life. A traumatic SCI is one of the most dramatic injuries a person may experience. Traumatic SCI has great influence on individuals’ life and their families. Unfortunately, situation for Person living with SCI is not favorable in developing countries. Due to lack of basic health facilities in developing countries including Pakistan, no special considerations are given towards rehabilitation of physically disable people. Purpose: This systematic review was carried out to identify and evaluate the factors associated with community reintegration of patients after Spinal cord Injury, to critically assess and evaluate the quality of included studies, to investigate and document the evidences related to the factors accountable for community reintegration after SCI and to make recommendation for the further improvement in practice area to handle the factors influencing the community reintegration following SCI. Methods: Databases including AMED, BIOMED central, Cochrane Library, Medline, Psycho INFO, PubMed, Science Direct, Scirus and Wiley Online Library were searched. The methodological quality of included studies was analyzed by using McMaster university tool and Thomas tool. Results: 11 articles that addressed the research questions were included in the study. The evidence extracted from included studies was classified into four groups; health related barriers or facilitators, environmental related barriers or facilitators, psychological barriers and social barriers that are associated with community reintegration of SCI individuals. Conclusion: This review approves that there are more barriers in the form of health related issues, personal and environmental, psychological and social that hinder the community reintegration of SCI subjects as compared to facilitators. Most studies notified special challenges related to environment in the sense of accessibility of home and public buildings and transportation. Restraining barriers, which are related health, environment, and psychological and social factors, can enhance community reintegration of patients suffering from SCI.

Biography

Muhammad Kashif is an Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy and Principal at Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Riphah International University Faisalabad Campus. He has more than 9 years of clinical and academic experience as a musculoskeletal/Community-based physiotherapist working in hospitals, INGOs and academics settings. He currently works full time as an academic/researcher. His research focuses on the community-based rehabilitation, orthopedic manual physical therapy, advanced clinical reasoning, disabilities, systematic review and evidence based practice. He has published over 10 research papers as an author and co-author in different national and international scientific journals and presented his findings in conferences. He is also a reviewer for academic journals. Moreover, he supervised many research projects of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

E-mail: kashif.shaffi@gmail.com