through the inclusion of functional approaches in the
training.3,16 However, the effect of balance training with
visual feedback during standing in the SCI population has not
been reported well. It has been suggested that the standing
posture has a number of therapeutic and functional
benefits17 aimed at overcoming physiological problems,
such as bladder infections,17 spasticity,18 blood pressure
homeostasis,19 and bone demineralization.20We believe that
regaining functionality during self-governed standing will
decrease secondary complications and increase independence,
and consequently, improve the quality of life of
individuals with SCI.
We hypothesized that balance training with visual feedback
during standing can improve postural control in
individuals with incomplete SCI. The purposes of our study
were the following: (1) to evaluate the learning potential and
performance improvements during the balance training and
determine whether voluntary postural control during different
tasks can be improved in individuals with incomplete
SCI; (2) to determine whether static and dynamic stability
during training-irrelevant tasks can be improved after the
balance training; and (3) to suggest mechanisms that may be
responsible for a potential improvement in postural control
in individuals with incomplete SCI