ABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: Evaluation of knees of tetraplegic patients who have been walking for several months with the aid of a system that involves neuromuscular stimulation, treadmill and a harness support device. OBJECTIVES: To investigate if the training program could cause knee injury to tetraplegic patients. SETTING: Hospital das Clinicas - UNICAMP. Campinas-SP, Brazil. METHODS: Nine patients were evaluated. Clinical exam and magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were used for evaluation. MRIs were taken before and after the training program, in a 6-month interval for each patient. There were two sessions of training every week. Each session lasted 20 min. RESULTS: No severe clinical abnormality was observed in any patient. Mild knee injury was observed in four of nine patients studied. CONCLUSIONS: Tetraplegic patients undergoing treadmill gait training deserve a close follow-up to prevent knee injury.
