Vibroacoustic (VA) treatment was applied to patients with chronic spinal cord and brain injuries during rehabilitation. The study aimed to ascertain the suitability of short-term VA treatment for supporting a decrease in spasticity and pain and an improvement in health condition in the rehabilitation programme for patients with spinal cord and brain injuries. Hypotheses: 1) indicators of self-perceived spasticity and pain measured after VA treatment are lower than measurement results before treatment; 2) VA treatment can be used in rehabilitation programmes to support the improvement of self-perceived health condition. 53 patients aged 20-72 participated in the study. VA treatment of 40 Hz was conducted once a day for 23 minutes over four or five days. Self-report numerical rating scales were used to measure patients’ condition before and after VA treatment sessions. Research findings revealed significant change in the levels of spasticity, pain, physical discomfort, general health condition, fatigue and anxiety after VA treatment sessions compared to the measurements before the sessions. Reduction in spasticity and physical discomfort was not statistically significantly different after four- or five-day treatment, a decrease in pain and an improvement in perceived health condition were significantly higher after five days than after four days treatment.

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Background. The variety of orthotics available induces a purpose for estimation of their influence of functional mobility for individual needs in people with incomplete spinal cord injuries (ISCI). The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the use of kinetic return ankle foot orthosis (KRAFO) on gait pattern in case of ISCI.Methods. Ankle and knee joint kinematic and kinetic characteristics during gait with and without KRAFO were studied in a 34-year-old man with ISCI (fracture v.C5) using 3D motion analysis system (Vicon Motion Systems Ltd., UK) including two dynamographic platforms (AMTI, USA). Ankle and knee joint angles at initial contact and mid-stance, ankle dorsiflexion and foot progression angle in swing phase and ankle joint push-off values in stance phase were analysed.Results. An excessive dorsiflexion in right ankle joint at initial contact, in mid-stance and in swing-phase occurred when walking without the orthosis, which decreased (105, 57 and 73%, respectively, p < .01) with the use of KRAFO. Orthoses use evoked the decrease (77%, p < .01) in peak foot progression angle. Ankle joint peak pushoff power was low without the use of KRAFO and decreased even more (28%, p < .05) with the use of orthosis. Decreases of knee joint flexion angle at initial contact and in mid-stance (29 and 23%, respectively) with the use of KRAFO were not significant as compared to gait without orthosis.Conclusions. Walking with KRAFO improved ankle and knee joint stability, providing a decrease in ankle kinematic characteristics but ankle joint push-off power did not change. Further studies are needed to compare the effect of KRAFO in comparison with other orthoses on gait pattern in case of ISCI in accordance with the patientcentric approach for rehabilitation process management.

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