Addition al ana lyses w re condu cted on a recently publi shed survey of person s with spin al co rd injury (SCI ) who used st nding mobi lity devi ces. Frequency and duration of standing were examined in relation to outco mes using chi squar analyses. Respondents (n = 99) wh o stood 30 minutes or more per day had signifi antly improved quality o f lif , f w r b d so res, fewer bl adder inf ctions, improved bow I regul arity, and improved abi lity to straighten th eir legs ompar d with those who stood less time. Compliance with regul ar home standing (at least on ce per week) was high (74%) . The data also suggest th at individual s with SCI could benefit from standing even if th ey w ere to beg in several years aft er injury. Th observa tion of pati ent benefits and high compli ance rates sugges t th at mobil e standing devices should be mor strongly con sidered as a major intervention for relief from secondary medi al co mpli ca ti ons Clnd improvement in overall quality of life of individuals wi th SCI.Key word s: spinal cord injury, standin g mobility devi c s, physica l therapy, paraplegia, qu adrip leg ia, seco ndary omp lica tion , disa bi lity, spasti ity, quality of life· INTRODUCTIONIn the lon g-te rm care of individuals with s pinal cord injury (SCI) th ere is likely to b a high rate of s cond ry medical complic tion s.

Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare disease with an unknown incidence rate. This paper will illustrate that early diagnosis and rehabilitation may result in improved outcomes for patients with neck or back pain presenting with neurological deficits. 1 Three cases of SEA in individuals without the commonly acknowledged risk factors of intravenous drug abuse (IVDA), invasive procedures, or immunosuppression were seen at our institution during a 10-month period between October 1995 and July 1996.2 The patients presented with neck or thoracic back pain and progressive neurological deficits without a febrile illness. Predisposing factors were thought to be urinary tract infection with underlying untreated diabetes mellitus in the first case, a history of recurrent skin infection in the second, and alcoholism without a definite source of infection in the third. Leukocytosis, elevated sedimentation rate, and confirmatory findings reported on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) led to the diagnosis of SEA in all three cases. Immediate surgical drainage and decompression followed by proper antibiotic treatment and early aggressive rehabilitation led to good functional outcomes.3,4 All the individuals became independent in activities of daily living, wheelchair mobility, and bowel and bladder management. Two eventually became ambulatory.

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