ABSTRACT

Background: Thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to impaired trunk control, compromised sitting balance, and reduced functional independence despite preserved upper limb function. Conventional physiotherapy improves general mobility but may not adequately target deep trunk stabilizers. Aim: To determine the effectiveness of additional core stability exercises in improving trunk control, sitting balance, and quality of life in individuals with thoracic SCI. Methodology: An experimental study was conducted on 30 participants with thoracic SCI (T1–T12), randomly allocated into an experimental group (core stability + conventional physiotherapy) and a control group (conventional physiotherapy alone). Intervention lasted 4 weeks. Outcome measures included Trunk Muscle Manual Muscle Testing (MMT), Modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT), and Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III). Non-parametric tests were used for analysis. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements (p < 0.05). The experimental group demonstrated greater mean improvements in trunk strength, lateral reach, and SCIM scores, although between-group differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Core stability exercises enhance trunk control, sitting balance, and functional independence in thoracic SCI and should be integrated into rehabilitation programs. Keywords: Thoracic SCI, Core Stability, Trunk Control, Sitting Balance, SCIM III, Rehabilitation
Publication date: 01/11/2026

https://www.ijbpas.com/pdf/2026/November/MS_IJBPAS_2026_10543.pdf

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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2026/15.11.10543