Kontakt X:X | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2025.032

Application of ICF grading nursing management in functional exercise and rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injuryNursing - Original article

Shi Xiaohui, Peng Ruqi, Chen Yueying *
Medical School of Nanjing University, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing, China

Purpose: Develop an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-based tiered nursing protocol for spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation and evaluate its clinical impact.

Methods: In a randomized trial, 122 SCI patients were divided into control (standard care) vs observation groups. The observation group received ICF rehabilitation set (ICF-RS) assessments and tiered nursing interventions. Outcomes (therapeutic efficacy, pain progression, quality of life) were longitudinally evaluated at postoperative intervals for comparative effectiveness analysis.

Results: The observation group showed significantly higher rates of "excellent" or "good" clinical efficacy (81.89% vs 62.30%, P < 0.05) and lower rates of "ineffective" outcomes (11.47% vs 29.50%). Pain scores at three and five days postoperative were 2.57 ± 1.43 and 2.96 ± 1.34 respectively, both significantly lower than controls (P < 0.01; P < 0.05). Quality-of-life scores at 3/6 months postoperative were notably higher in the observation group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: ICF-RS-based tiered nursing enhances functional recovery and long-term outcomes in postoperative SCI patients.

Keywords: Disability and Health (ICF); International Classification of Functioning; Nursing; Rehabilitation Exercise; Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Grants and funding:

> This work was supported by 2023 Science and Technology Innovation Research Plan Project of Affiliated Jinling Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University (grant number 2023YYHLZX177).

Conflicts of interest:

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Received: April 15, 2025; Revised: July 1, 2025; Accepted: July 30, 2025; Prepublished online: July 31, 2025 

Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. . Cieza A, Kostansjek N (2021). The international classification of functioning, disability and health: the first 20 years. Dev Med Child Neurol 63(4): 363. DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14799. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. . Du J, Chen R, Xie H (2024). Application of nursing intervention based on snyder's hope theory in individuals with spinal cord injury. Am J Transl Res 16(4): 1246-1255. DOI: 10.62347/JFAI7888. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. . Duan R, Qu M, Yuan Y, Lin M, Liu T, Huang W, et al. (2021). Clinical benefit of rehabilitation training in spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Spine 46(6): E398-E410. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000003789. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. . Gao Y, Yan T, You L, Li K (2017). Developing operational items for the international classification of functioning, disability and health rehabilitation set: the experience from China. Int J Rehabil Res 41(1): 20-27. DOI: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000254. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. . Hao DJ, Yang JS, He BR (2021). Highlights and progress of clinical diagnosis and treatment of spine and spinal cord injuries in China during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period. Chin J Traumatol 12: 289-294.
    6. . Hernández-Lázaro H, Mingo-Gómez MT, Jiménez-Del-Barrio S, Rodríguez-Fernández AI, Areso-Bóveda PB, Ceballos-Laita L (2024). Validation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) core set for post-acute musculoskeletal conditions in a primary care physiotherapy setting from the perspective of patients using focus groups. Disabil Rehabil 46(16): 3594-3601. DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2251392. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. . Jacob M, Cox SR (2017). Examining transgender health through the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health's (ICF) Contextual Factors. Qual Life Res 26(12): 3177-3185. DOI: 10.1007/s11136-017-1656-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. . Kew CL, Osborne CL (2024). An analysis of caregiver burden assessments using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and health (ICF): what aspects of burden are measured, and what is missing. Disabil Rehabil 46(16): 3724-3732. DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2254227. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. . Matlasová H (2011). Practical use of the International Classification of Functional Capacities. Disability and Health. Kontakt 13(1): 54-64. DOI: 10.32725/kont.2011.008. Go to original source...
    10. . Pongpipatpaiboon K, Selb M, Kovindha A, Prodinger B (2020). Toward a framework for developing an ICF-based documentation system in spinal cord injury-specific rehabilitation based on routine clinical practice: a case study approach. Spinal Cord Ser Cases 6(1): 33. DOI: 10.1038/s41394-020-0283-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. . Wang J (2024). Clinical efficacy of triple pelvic osteotomy and Salter osteotomy in the treatment of hip dislocation in children. China. Guangdong Medical University, pp. 1-55.
    12. . Wang WX, Xu GR, He XH, Li K, Wang YM (2022). Rasch analysis of the Body Function component of the ICF Rehabilitation Set in functional assessment of orthopedic patients. Rehabilitation Medicine 32(5): 394-400. DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1329.2022.05003. Go to original source...
    13. . Westphal M, Carrard V, Braunwalder C, Debnar C, Post M, Fekete C, et al. (2024). Reciprocal association between pain and quality of life after newly acquired spinal cord injury. Qual Life Res 33(5): 1347-1357. DOI: 10.1007/s11136-024-03615-1. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. . Wu Q, Han L, Zhang Q, Wang R, Zhao A, Zhu K (2023). Construction of a quality evaluation index system for spinalcord injury nursing. Chin Gen Pract Nurs 21(31): 4408-4412. DOI: 10.12104/j.issn.1674-4748.2023.31.021. Go to original source...
    15. . Yan T (2022). Research of promoting the clinical application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Rehabilitation Composite (ICF-RS) and its functional level conversion. Chin J Rehabil Med 37(10): 1297-1300. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-1242.2022.10.001. Go to original source...
    16. . Yang B, Zhang F, Cheng F, Ying L, Wang C, Shi K, et al. (2020). Strategies and prospects of effective neural circuits reconstruction after spinal cord injury. Cell Death Dis 11(6): 439. DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2620-z. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. . Zhang HY (2021). Functional training and reconstruction of 198 patients with spinal cord injury. Chin Gen Pract Nurs 05: 404. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-4748.2009.05.023. Go to original source...
    18. . Zhang M, Gao Y, Xue J, Li K, Zhang L, Yu J, et al. (2024). Development of the assessment standards of the international classification of functioning, disability, and health (ICF) geriatric core set through a modified delphi method. BMC Geriatrics 24: 239. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-04816-6. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return