Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27349607›Full record

SynthesisSpinal cord2016

The effectiveness of 22 commonly administered physiotherapy interventions for people with spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

L A Harvey, J V Glinsky, J L Bowden

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Spinal cord, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
34citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

34 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Comparative efficacy of common rehabilitation treatments for patients with neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

L A HarveyJohn Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Kolling Institute, Sydney Medical School/Northern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
J V GlinskyJohn Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Kolling Institute, Sydney Medical School/Northern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
J L BowdenJohn Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Kolling Institute, Sydney Medical School/Northern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

designA systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

objectivesTo determine the effectiveness of 22 commonly administered physiotherapy interventions for people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs).

methodsThe inclusion criteria contained 22 pairs of key interventions and outcomes. Each intervention and outcome was considered independently such that 22 brief reviews were conducted and summarised in this one paper. The interventions included hand, wheelchair, seated mobility, fitness, strength and gait training, as well as electrical stimulation, passive movements, stretch, cycling, exercise and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Interventions were compared with no or sham treatment, usual care or another physiotherapy intervention. The primary outcome for each review was one of the following: seated mobility, wheelchair mobility, hand function, gait, voluntary strength, joint mobility, fitness and pain. Data were extracted to determine mean between-group differences or risk ratios (95% confidence interval). Where possible, results were pooled in meta-analyses and the strength of evidence rated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation.

resultsThirty-eight randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria and were relevant to 15 of the brief reviews. The following four interventions were clearly effective: fitness, hand and wheelchair training as well as TENS; however, the strength of evidence was not high for any of these interventions. None of the other interventions were clearly effective.

conclusionThere is initial evidence to support four physiotherapy interventions, but there is still a long way to go to put a strong evidence base to the range of physiotherapy interventions commonly used to manage people with SCI.

Indexed as

Physical Therapy ModalitiesElectric Stimulation TherapyHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSpinal Cord Injuries

Identifiers

PMID27349607

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.