Spinal Cord Injury

Head of the research group

Vegard Strøm, Ph.D. 
Assoc. professor

Deputy Head of the research group

Vivien Jørgensen, Ph.D. 
Senior researcher

Core members

Fin Biering-Sørensen, Ph.D. 
Guest Professor / Senior Consultant 

Kirsti Skavberg Roaldsen, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher / Docent

Anne Marie Lannem, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher 

Matthijs F. Wouda, Ph.D.  
Head of Clinical-Physiological Laboratory / Assoc. Professor 

Ingebjørg Irgens, Ph.D.
Head of Laboratories / Senior consultant

Claudia K Nyberg, Ph.D.
Senior consultant / Head of Medical strategy

Hanne Bjørg Slettahjell, MSc
Clinical nutrition physiologist 

Wiebke Höfers, MSc
Physiotherapist

Master students

Pernille Susaas Holt
Occupational Therapist 

Eva Hurlen
MSc Nurse 

Mats Fjelltveit
MSc Sports candidate

2023

Ben M, Glinsky JV, Chu J, Spooren AI, Roberts S, Chen LW, Denis S, Lorusso M, Jorgensen V, Gollan EJ, Agostinello J, Van Laake-Geelen CCM, Lincoln C, Stolwijk JM, Bell C, Paddison S, Rainey D, Tranter K, Ilha J, Oostra K, Sherrington C, Harvey LA. Early and intensive Motor Training for people with spinal cord injuries (the SCI-MT Trial): description of the intervention. Spinal Cord. 2023 Jul 19.
doi: 10.1038/s41393-023-00911-4. Online ahead of print. PMID: 37468607

Bychkovska, O., Strøm, V., Tederko, P., Engkasan, J.P., Juocevicius, A., Battistella, L.R., Arora, M., Egen, C., Gemperli, A. Health System’s Role in Facilitating Health Service Access among Persons with Spinal Cord Injury across 22 Countries. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6056. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph201160562022.

Bychkovska O, Tederko P, Strøm V, Juocevicius A, Gemperli A. Does stronger primary care improve access to health services for persons with spinal cord injury? Evidence from eleven European countries. J Spinal Cord Med. 2023 Mar 27:1-11. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2023.2188390. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36972217

Catz A, Itzkovich M, Rozenblum R, Elkayam K, Kfir A, Tesio L, Chhabra HS, Michaeli D, Zeilig G, Engel-Haber E, Bizzarini E, Pilati C, Stigliano S, Merafina M, Del Popolo G, Righi G, Bonavita J, Baroncini I, Liu N, Xing H, Margalho P, Campos I, Riberto M, Soeira TP, Chandy B, Tharion G, Joshi M, Lemay JF, Laramée MT, Curran D, Leiulfsrud AS, Sørensen L, Biering-Sorensen F, Poder HH, Kesiktas N, Burgess-Collins L, Edwards J, Osman A, Bluvshtein V.  A multi-center international study on the spinal cord independence measure, version IV: Rasch psychometric validation. J Spinal Cord Med. 2023 Mar 31:1-11. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2023.2183334. Online ahead of print. PMID: 37000427. 

Chu J, Glinsky JV, Liu H, Ben M, Spooren AI, Roberts S, Chen LW, Di Natal F, Tamburella F, Jørgensen V, Gollan EJ, Agostinello J, van Laake-Geelen C, Lincoln C, van der Lede J, Stolwijk JM, Bell C, Paddison S, Rainey D, Scivoletto G, Oostra KM, Jan S, Sherrington C, Harvey LA. Early and Intensive Motor Training for people with spinal cord injuries (the SCI-MT Trial): protocol of the process evaluation. BMJ Open. 2023 Aug 29;13(8):e072219. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072219. PMID: 37643854 

Harvey LA, Glinsky JV, Chu J, Herbert RD, Liu H, Jan S, Billot L, Scivoletto G, Spooren AI, Seelen HA, Ben M, Tranter K, Chen LW, Rainey D, Rimmer C, Jorgensen V, Di Natal F, Denis S, Gollan EJ, Tamburella F, Agostinello J, van Laake-Geelen CM, Bell C, Lincoln C, Stolwijk JM, van der Lede J, Paddison S, Oostra K, Cameron ID, Weber G, Sherrington C, Nunn AK, Synnott EL, McCaughey E, Kaur J, Shetty S. Early and intensive motor training to enhance neurological recovery in people with spinal cord injury: trial protocol. Spinal Cord. 2023 Jul 6. doi: 10.1038/s41393-023-00908-z. Online ahead of print. PMID: 37414835 

Sabariego C, Ehrmann C, Bickenbach J, Pacheco Barzallo D, Schedin Leiulfsrud A, Strøm V, Osterthun R, Tederko P, Seijas V, Eriks-Hoogland I, Le Fort M, Gonzalez Viejo MA, Bökel A, Popa D, Dionyssiotis Y, Baricich A, Juocevicius A, Amico P, Stucki G. Ageing, functioning patterns and their environmental determinants in the spinal cord injury (SCI) population: A comparative analysis across eleven European countries implementing the International Spinal Cord Injury Community Survey. PLoS ONE 18(4): e0284420. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284420. 
Wouda MF, Gaupseth JA, Bengtson EI, Johansen T, Brembo EA, Lundgaard E. Exercise intensity during exergaming in wheelchair-dependent persons with SCI. Spinal Cord. 2023 Apr 3. doi: 10.1038/s41393-023-00893-3. Online ahead of print.PMID: 37012335 

Wouda MF, Slettahjell HB, Lundgaard E, Bastani NE, Raastad T, Blomhoff R, Kostovski E. Acute changes in antioxidants and oxidative stress to vigorous arm exercise: an intervention trial in persons with spinal cord injury and healthy controls. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2023 Jul 13;9(1):32. doi: 10.1038/s41394-023-00590-6. PMID: 37443310 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

2022 

Firing Kroman M, Jørgensen V. Making sense of invisible bodily changes and new ways of doing physical activity. Experiences of individuals following traumatic incomplete spinal cord injury. European Journal of physiotherapy. 2022; Accepted for publication.

Irgens I, Midelfart-Hoff J, Jelnes R, Alexander M, Stanghelle JK, Thoresen M, Rekand T. Videoconferencing in Pressure Injury: Randomized Controlled Telemedicine Trial in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury. JMIR Form Res. 2022 Apr 19;6(4):e27692. doi: 10.2196/27692. PMID: 35438645

Pattanakuhar S, Ahmedy F, Setiono S, Engkasan JP, Strøm V, Kovindha A. Impacts of Bladder Managements and Urinary Complications on Quality of Life: Cross-sectional perspectives of persons with spinal cord injury living in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2022 Jun 14. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000002066. Online ahead of print.PMID: 35700141 

Vegard Strøm, Grethe Månum, Mohit Arora, Conran Joseph, Athanasios Kyriakides, Marc Le Fort, Rutger Osterthun, Brigitte Perrouin-Verbe, Karin Postma, James Middleton. Physical health conditions in persons with spinal cord injury across 21 countries worldwide. J Rehabil Med. 2022 Jun 9. doi: 10.2340/jrm.v54.2040. Online ahead of print.PMID: 35678293

Utheim NC, Helseth E, Stroem M, Rydning P, Mejlænder-Evjensvold M, Glott T, Hoestmaelingen CT, Aarhus M, Roenning PA, Linnerud H. Epidemiology of traumatic cervical spinal fractures in a general Norwegian population. Inj Epidemiol. 2022 Mar 24;9(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s40621-022-00374-w.PMID: 35321752 Free PMC article.  

2021

Catz A, Itzkovich M, Elkayam K, Michaeli D, Gelernter I, Benjamini Y, Chhabra HS, Tesio L, Engel-Haber E, Bizzarini E, Pilati C, Popolo GD, Baroncini I, Liu N, Margalho P, Soeira TP, Chandy B, Joshi M, Lemay JF, Curran D, Leiulfsrud AS, Sørensen L, Biering-Sorensen F, Kesiktas N, Osman A, Bluvshtein V. Reliability validity and responsiveness of the spinal cord independence measure 4th version in a multicultural setup. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2021 Oct 20:S0003-9993(21)01423-4. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.07.811. Online ahead of print.

Fekete C, Tough H, Arora M, Hasnan N, Joseph C, Popa D, Strøm V and Middleton J. Are Social Relationships an Underestimated Resource for Mental Health in Persons Experiencing Physical Disability? Observational Evidence from 22 Countries. Int J Public Health 2021; 66:619823. doi: 10.3389/ijph.2021.619823

Höfers W, Jørgensen V, Sällström S, Vege KM, Strøm M, New PW, Bushnik T, Zakharova O, Krasovsky T, Guttman D, Ghatasha A, Genlin L, Yang C, Yu-Xi Q, Wahman K, Sunnerhagen KS, Ertzgaard P, Sukhov R, Augutis M, Stanghelle JK, Roaldsen KS. Organisation of services and systems of care in paediatric spinal cord injury rehabilitation in seven countries: a survey with a descriptive cross-sectional design. Spinal Cord. 2021 Nov 20. doi: 10.1038/s41393-021-00726-1. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34802054

Jakimovska VM, Biering-Sørensen F, Lidal IB, Kostovski E. Community dwelling life- and health issues among persons living with chronic spinal cord injury in North Macedonia. Spinal Cord. 2021 Aug 18. doi: 10.1038/s41393-021-00688-4. Online ahead of print

Jørgensen V, Butler Forslund E. Considerations on the psychometric properties and validity of the Spinal Cord Injury Secondary Conditions Scale. Spinal Cord. 2021 Aug;59(8):894-901. doi: 10.1038/s41393-021-00655-z. Epub 2021 Jun 25.

Oña A, Strøm V, Lee BS, Le Fort M, Middleton J, Gutenbrunner C, Pacheco Barzallo D. Health inequalities and income for people with spinal cord injury. A comparison between and within countries. SSM Popul Health. 2021 Jun 26;15:100854. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100854. eCollection 2021 Sep. PMID: 34258374. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8259327/pdf/main.pdf

Roaldsen KS, Jørgensen V, Höfers W, Sällström S, Augutis M, Ertzgaard P, Wahman K, Strøm M, Vege KM, Sørland K, Liu G, Zhang Q, Yang YX, Chen Y, Zakharova O, Trukhankina Z, Ghatasha A, Hamdan E, Krasovsky T, Guttman D, Sunnerhagen KS, New PW, Bushnik T, Sukhov R, Stanghelle JK. Pediatric spinal cord injury rehabilitation: A protocol for an international multicenter project (SINpedSCI). J Pediatr Rehabil Med. 2021 Dec 31. doi: 10.3233/PRM-201518 

Sterling MK, Wouda MF, Lahelle AF. A qualitative interview study on how people with incomplete spinal cord injury experience high-intensity walking exercise. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2021 Oct 5;7(1):92. doi: 10.1038/s41394-021-00456-9.    

2020

Eilertsen, GØ, Panagiotopoulos N, Austad TA, Glott T. En mann i 60-årene med akutte ryggsmerter og økende kraftsvikt i underekstremitetene. Tidsskr Nor Legeforen 2020, doi: 10.4045/tidsskr.19.0591. 

Irgens I, Bach B, Rekand T, Tornås S. Optimal management of health care for persons with disability related to spinal cord injury: learning from the Sunnaas model of telerehabilitation. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2020 Sep 24;6(1):88. doi: 10.1038/s41394-020-00338-6. 

Irgens I, Hoff JM, Jelnes R, Alexander M, Stanghelle JK, Thoresen M and Rekand T. Spinal cord injury and development of pressure injury during acute rehabilitation in Norway: a national retrospective cross-sectional study. Spinal Cord. 2020 Oct;58(10):1069-1079. doi: 10.1038/s41393-020-0465-z. Epub 2020 Apr 27. 

Jakimovska VM, Biering-Sørensen F, Lidal IB and Kostovski E. Epidemiological characteristics and early complications after spinal cord injury in Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Spinal Cord. 2020;58:86-94. 

Lundberg Larsen K, Maalen-Johansen IK, Rennie L, Lidal IB. Gait Function in Adults Aged 50 Years and Older With Spina Bifida. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2020 Nov 7;S0003-9993(20)31216-8. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.10.118. Online ahead of print. 

Pacheco Barzallo D, Gross-Hemmi M, Bickenbach J, Juocevičius A, Popa D, Wahyuni LK and Strøm V. Quality of Life and the Health System: A 22-Country Comparison of the Situation of People With Spinal Cord Injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2020 Dec;101(12):2167-2176. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.04.030. Epub 2020 Jun 10. 

Piira A, Lannem AM, Gjesdal K, Knutsen R, Jørgensen L, Glott T, Hjeltnes N, Knutsen SF and Sørensen M. Quality of life and psychological outcomes of body-weight supported locomotor training in spinal cord injured persons with long-standing incomplete lesions. Spinal Cord. 2020;58:560-569. 

Wouda MF, Lundgaard E, Becker F and Strøm V. Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and activity levels over the first year after discharge in ambulatory persons with recent incomplete spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord. 2020 Jul 9. doi: 10.1038/s41393-020-0514-7

2019

Carney J, Fisher R, Augutis M, Charlifue S, Biering-Sørensen F, Höfers W, Hwang M, Wayne New P, Post M, Sadowsky C, Vogel L, Augustine L, Dent K, Mulcahey MJ. Development of the International Spinal Cord Injury/Dysfunction Education Basic Data Set. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2019 Oct 21;5:87. doi: 10.1038/s41394-019-0229-1. eCollection 2019.

Miriam Hwang, Marika Augutis, Cristina Sadowsky, Wiebke Höfers, Lawrence C. Vogel, Marcel Post, Susan Charlifue, Peter Wayne New, Rhona Fisher, Joan Carney, Kathryn Dent, M. J. Mulcahey. The International Spinal Cord Injury Pediatric Activity and Participation Basic Data Set. Spinal Cord Series and Cases (2019) 5:91.

Irgens I, Hoff JM, Sørli H, Haugland H, Stanghelle JK, Rekand T. Hospital based care at home; study protocol for a mixed epidemiological and randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2019 Jan 24;20(1):77. doi: 10.1186/s13063-019-3185-y. PMID: 30678710 Free PMC Article

Jakimovska VM, Biering-Sørensen F, Lidal IB, Kostovski E. Epidemiological characteristics and early complications after spinal cord injury in Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Spinal Cord. 2019 Aug 19. doi: 10.1038/s41393-019-0342-9. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 31427697  

Jørgensen V, Slettahjell HB, Skavberg Roaldsen K, Kostovski E. Carboxy terminal collagen crosslinks as a prognostic risk factor for fall-related fractures in individuals with established spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord. 2019 Jul 15. doi: 10.1038/s41393-019-0322-0. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 31308468  

Emil Kostovski, Vesna Miloshevska Jakimovska, Ingeborg Beate Lidal, Fin Biering-Sørensen. Cross-sectional and prospective data-collection in North Macedonia—methodological considerations. Spinal Cord Series and Cases; volume 5, Article number: 58 (2019).

Gunn-Kristin Knudsen Thomassen, Vivien Jørgensen, Britt Normann. «Back at the same level as everyone else»—user perspectives on walking with an exoskeleton, a qualitative study. Spinal Cord Series and Cases 5(1): 103.

Piira A, Lannem AM, Gjesdal K, Knutsen R, Jørgensen L, Glott T, Hjeltnes N, Knutsen SF, Sørensen M. Quality of life and psychological outcomes of body-weight supported locomotor training in spinal cord injured persons with long-standing incomplete lesions. Spinal Cord. 2019 Dec 17. doi: 10.1038/s41393-019-0401-2. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 31848443

Piira, Anu Mirjam; Lannem, Anne M.; Sørensen, Marit; Glott, Thomas; Knutsen, Raymond; Jørgensen, Lone; Gjesdal, Knut; Hjeltnes, Nils; Knutsen, Synnøve Fønnebø. Manually assisted body-weight supported locomotor training does not re-establish walking in non-walking subjects with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Volume 51, Number 2, February 2019, pp. 113-119(7).

Piira, Anu Mirjam; Lannem, Anne M.; Sørensen, Marit; Glott, Thomas; Knutsen, Raymond; Jørgensen, Lone; Gjesdal, Knut; Hjeltnes, Nils; Knutsen, Synnøve Fønnebø. Robot-assisted locomotor training did not improve walking function in patients with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine; Volume 51, Number 5, May 2019, pp. 67-71(5).

Savikj M, Kostovski E, Lundell LS, Iversen PO, Massart J, Widegren U. Altered oxidative stress and antioxidant defence in skeletal muscle during the first year following spinal cord injury. Physiol Rep. 2019 Aug;7(16):e14218. doi: 10.14814/phy2.14218. PMID: 31456346 Free PMC Article

Sørensen L, Månum G. A single-subject study of robotic upper limb training in the subacute phase for four persons with cervical spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2019 Mar 12;5:29. doi: 10.1038/s41394-019-0170-3. eCollection 2019. PMID: 31240123  

2018 

Høgholen H, Storhaug A, Kvernrød K, Kostovski E, Viktil KK, Mathiesen L. Use of medicines, adherence and attitudes to medicines among persons with chronic spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord. 2018 Jan;56(1):35-40. doi: 10.1038/sc.2017.95. Epub 2017 Aug 29. PMID: 28853448  

Bach Baunsgaard C, Vig Nissen U, Katrin Brust A, Frotzler A, Ribeill C, Kalke YB, León N, Gómez B, Samuelsson K, Antepohl W, Holmström U, Marklund N, Glott T, Opheim A, Benito J, Murillo N, Nachtegaal J, Faber W, Biering-Sørensen F. Gait training after spinal cord injury: safety, feasibility and gait function following 8 weeks of training with the exoskeletons from Ekso Bionics. Spinal Cord. 2018 Feb;56(2):106-116. doi: 10.1038/s41393-017-0013-7. Epub 2017 Nov 6. PMID: 29105657  

Lundell LS, Savikj M, Kostovski E, Iversen PO, Zierath JR, Krook A, Chibalin AV, Widegren U. Protein translation, proteolysis and auto1phagy in human skeletal muscle atrophy after spinal cord injury. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2018 Jul;223(3):e13051. doi: 10.1111/apha.13051. Epub 2018 Feb 28. PMID: 29423932  

Sundby ØH, Irgens I, Høiseth LØ, Mathiesen I, Lundgaard E, Haugland H, Weedon-Fekjær H, Sundhagen JO, Sandbæk G, Hisdal J. Intermittent mild negative pressure applied to the lower limb in patients with spinal cord injury and chronic lower limb ulcers: a crossover pilot study. Spinal Cord. 2018 Apr;56(4):372-381. doi: 10.1038/s41393-018-0080-4. Epub 2018 Mar 1.PMID: 29497177 Clinical Trial.  

Irgens I, Rekand T, Arora M, Liu N, Marshall R, Biering-Sørensen F, Alexander M.Telehealth for people with spinal cord injury: a narrative review. Spinal Cord. 2018 Jul;56(7):643-655. doi: 10.1038/s41393-017-0033-3. Epub 2018 Mar 7.PMID: 29515211 Review.  

Wouda MF, Lundgaard E, Becker F, Strøm V. Effects of moderate- and high-intensity aerobic training program in ambulatory subjects with incomplete spinal cord injury-a randomized controlled trial. Spinal Cord. 2018 Oct;56(10):955-963. doi: 10.1038/s41393-018-0140-9. Epub 2018 May 23.PMID: 29795172 Clinical Trial.  

Savikj M, Ruby MA, Kostovski E, Iversen PO, Zierath JR, Krook A, Widegren U. Retained differentiation capacity of human skeletal muscle satellite cells from spinal cord-injured individuals. Physiol Rep. 2018 Jun;6(12):e13739. doi: 10.14814/phy2.13739. PMID: 29906337 Free PMC article.

Clausen I, W Tvedt LG, Glott T.Measurement of Urinary Bladder Pressure: A Comparison of Methods. Sensors (Basel). 2018 Jul 3;18(7):2128. doi: 10.3390/s18072128.PMID: 29970801 Free PMC article.  

Kostovski E, Frigato E, Savikj M, Dahm A, Sandset PM, Mowinckel MC, Skretting G, Østerud B, Bertolucci C, Iversen PO. Normalization of disrupted clock gene expression in males with tetraplegia: a crossover randomized placebo-controlled trial of melatonin supplementation. Spinal Cord. 2018 Nov;56(11):1076-1083. doi: 10.1038/s41393-018-0176-x. Epub 2018 Jul 9.PMID: 29985456 Clinical Trial.  

Butler Forslund E, Jørgensen V, Skavberg Roaldsen K, Hultling C, Wahman K, Franzén E. Predictors of falls in persons with spinal cord injury-a prospective study using the Downton fall risk index and a single question of previous falls. Spinal Cord. 2019 Feb;57(2):91-99. doi: 10.1038/s41393-018-0175-y. Epub 2018 Jul 9. PMID: 29985457  

Jakimovska VM, Kostovski E, Biering-Sørensen F, Lidal IB. Fractures and musculoskeletal ailments in persons 20+ years after a traumatic spinal cord injury in Norway. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2018 Aug 14;4:76. doi: 10.1038/s41394-018-0102-7. eCollection 2018. PMID: 30131875 Free PMC article.