Study design and subjects: Retrospective descriptive analysis of data of patients with spinal injuries admitted to a tertiary referral medical center from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2004. Objectives: To identify the demographic profile of patients with spinal injuries admitted in this hospital. Setting: Medical records department, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, Karnataka, India. Methods: A total of 207 patients with traumatic and non-traumatic spinal injuries were included in the study. The patient characteristics that were included were age groups, neurologic status, mode and neurological level of injury, management and recovery pattern. Results: Ratio of men to women who sustained spinal injuries was 3.6:1. The maximum number of patients was in the age range of 20-39 years. The different levels of spine that sustained injuries were cervical spine (36.2%), thoracic spine (34.3%) and lumbar spine (29.5%). There were 118 patients with neurological deficit. Mechanisms of injury recorded were fall from height (58.9%), fall of weight (7.2%), motor vehicle accidents (21.3%) and non-traumatic causes (12.6%). Of these 207 spinal injury patients, 74.4% were managed conservatively, whereas 25.6% patients were managed surgically. Observation: This study gives a preliminary overview of the characteristics of patients with spinal injuries in this hospital.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the adult population, resulting in significant cognitive and sensorimotor impairments affecting one-half of the body in most patients. The limitations that are attributed to trunk impairment affect the postural and respiratory functions due to either spasticity or weakness of trunk muscles, including the diaphragm. Physiotherapy is effective in interdisciplinary stroke management, with approaches utilising the principles of plasticity. This review focused on briefing the pathomechanical aspects of trunk impairment in hemiplegic stroke. The proposed mechanisms of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) as a treatment for hemiplegic stroke were analysed, and the existing research evidence for the efficacy of DNS in improving trunk control among stroke participants was critically reviewed. The findings substantiate the need for high-quality trials, emphasising study design, subset size, reflective outcomes, and regulated follow-ups.