Musculoskeletal pain and its management among Spinal cord injury patients.

Abstract

Purpose: To find out the musculoskeletal pain and its management among the spinal cord injury patients in CRP. Objectives: The aim of the study was to identify the musculoskeletal pain among spinal cord injury patients and its physiotherapy management. Methodology: The study design was surveillance of cross sectional study where quantitative method used. For conducting this study 106 samples were selected in purposive sampling technique. In this study, patients who are admitted in Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP) in Bangladesh which is the largest spinal cord injury rehabilitation centre in South Asia are the participants of the study. Data was collected self-structured questionnaire and analysed by SPSS software version 20.0. Outcome of pain was measured by Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) to measure the pain level of the participants. Results: It was observed on this study that among the 106 participants most of the injury caused by fall from height (26.4%), and fall from tree (24.5%). The maximum participants are injured on thoracic level (37.7%) and lumber 34%. It was also investigated that presence of current pain of the participants (74.5%). And the location of pain was 20.8% (n=22) complains of pain on neck and shoulder region, 18.9% (n=20) back at level of injury. Most of them undergo surgery (66%) and spinal fixation was (54.7%). On numeric pain rating scale moderate pain was found the most (n=53) 49.9%. For managing pain exercise (n= 29) 27.4% found the most. Most of the participants express their effectiveness that treatment made the pain slightly better (n=38) 35.8%. Conclusion: From this study it can be concluded that pain is the most common complication after spinal cord injury. Most of the person develops it due to injury to the back and it can be worsen by wheelchair propulsion activity and prolong sitting posture. Physiotherapy treatment is most effective for managing pain. The study may help to provide awareness among the people of Bangladesh. And also express the pain developing activity and proper measure of pain. So SCI pain can be reduced through taking preventative measure. Key words: SCI, NPRS, pain management, level of injury, CRP.