Resilience and adaptations-insights from Norwegian adolescents with pediatric-onset spinal cord injury.
Wiebke Höfers, Kirsti Riiser, Vivien Jørgensen and 2 others
PMID 40248070WHAT IT FOUND
Adolescents with spinal cord injuries prioritized independence and social connection over physical recovery alone.
They valued peers who treated them normally and schools that adapted activities rather than excusing them. They sought autonomy in daily choices, often preferring self-directed exercise to supervised therapy.
Key findings
01Participants valued social inclusion and normal peer interaction, noting that staying connected with friends helped them return to daily life.
02Most adolescents were excluded from standard physical education classes, receiving either individual physiotherapy or exemptions rather than adapted group activities.
03Adolescents sought autonomy and control, with many discontinuing formal physiotherapy to pursue independent exercise regimens they felt empowered their bodies.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (8 participants) limits transferability of findings. All participants were ethnic Norwegian, restricting applicability to diverse cultural contexts. Time since injury varied (1–6 years), which may affect memory of immediate post-injury experiences. Only one participant had tetraplegia, underrepresenting the experiences of those with higher-level injuries. Participants appeared generally empowered and well-functioning, potentially excluding those with more severe psychosocial struggles.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, the Birgit and Rolfs Memorial Fund, and the Jakob and Inger Valsøs Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that formal physiotherapy is ineffective or should be stopped. The preference for independent exercise described by these specific, well-functioning adolescents reflects a desire for autonomy and control, not a clinical recommendation to abandon supervised rehabilitation.