Table 3 Theme & Sub-theme extracted of codes obtained from experiences of spinal cord injury patients and their families

Towards overcoming physical disability

Physical rehabilitation by various methods

Maintaining organ function with physical exercises

Attention and maintaining of organs above lesion level

Establishing an appropriate living environment as much as possible

Making a slope in the yard, transferring to townhouse, buying bath seat/assisted machine/three-wheel motor

Using special rehabilitation services

Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy

Using physical aids’ equipment

Cane, walker, wheelchair, brace, AFO, KAFO

Tendency towards the use of alternative medical methods

Testing the homeopathy

Strengthen the body with homeopathic medicines

Testing the acupuncture

Traveling to different cities for acupuncture, incontinence control with acupuncture

Testing the traditional medicine

Putting honey on bedsore, herbal medicines, blood giving

Testing the energy therapy

Energy therapy to reduce pain, energy therapy to overcome disability

Testing the hydrotherapy

Water therapy services, swimming pools

Testing the stem cell therapy

Cell infusion to restore a sense of intrathecal injection

Making efforts for self-reliance

Innovation of family in manufacturing a rehabilitation tool

Customized baby walker in big size, ceiling ropes

Trying to become independent in personal activities

Patient efforts:

Trying to toilet and catheterization without help, eating and bathing alone without training by health care team

Family efforts:

not helping the SCI patient for moving from wheelchair to the bed, putting the items close to the SCI patient