Are task-specific training principles adequately reported in randomised controlled trials of motor training for people with spinal cord injury? A scoping review

Study design A scoping review. Objective Therapists administer interventions aimed at helping people with spinal cord injury (SCI) regain movement and master motor tasks. These interventions typically involve motor training strategies delivered with or without the use of devices, robotics, and electrical stimulation. However, it remains unclear whether randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating motor training interventions adequately report the key principles of task-specific training (TST). The aim of this scoping review was therefore to evaluate the reporting of these principles. Methods JBI framework was used to guide this scoping review. Randomised controlled trials investigating interventions aimed at improving motor task performance were included. A data extraction form incorporating a checklist of seven principles of TST was used to assess their reporting. The principles were: repetitious practice, training at high intensity; use of participant-centred goals, exercise targets, and augmented feedback; progression of training; and use of active training (requiring voluntary contribution). Results Seventy RCTs were included. Reporting of key principles of TST varied substantially between trials. While repetitious practice was reported in all but one trial, participant-centred goals were reported in only 8 trials, and feedback in 20. Overall, most trials provided insufficient detail on how motor task training was implemented. Conclusion Key principles of TST are rarely adequately reported in trials, limiting the ability to determine how training is structured to support learning of motor tasks in people with SCI. These reporting gaps make it difficult to replicate complex motor training interventions in clinical or research settings.