Sitting Balance Summary

Numerous studies have investigated the effects of different interventions on sitting balance function in people with SCI. These interventions have been grouped into electrical stimulation, exercise training, VR, and BWSLT. Although further studies are needed focusing on the sitting balance function in people with SCI, taking all the results from this review together and from a clinical perspective:

• VR consistently provided positive effects on sitting balance performance in people with SCI.
• Different exercise interventions provide the most positive effects on sitting balance and/or trunk strength for people with SCI.
• On the other hand, different body-weight supported training interventions generally do not provide significant effects on sitting balance function in people with SCI. Even though numerous studies in the area, the main/primary outcome measures of these interventions are usually walking and/or standing balance function (and not sitting balance). So, BWSLT does not seem to be an ideal intervention for improving sitting balance function.
• Different types of electrical stimulation added to exercise programs did not seem to add to the effects of the exercise programs re: sitting balance outcomes in people with SCI.
• Further high-powered studies with larger sample sizes, and where balance is studied as a primary outcome in studies, would be helpful to understand training effects and dosage of interventions in sitting balance.