Table 3 Theme 1: Balance is meaningful for daily life and rehabilitation

1a) “Without balance you cannot do anything” (SCI/D2)

Q1: “… I work for (organization). I have to have a very strong balance in a lot of situations and so this is also the first point of view, balancing is important.” (STR1)

Q2: “The one…transition that might not [have been] mentioned - the transition to driving a car…because having the ability to drive is certainly a huge sense of freedom.” (SCI/D2)

Q3: “The balance concerns and the balance deficits are the real challenges for our patients and then they really hinder them from being able to, you know move on or be able to do the functions that they need to in order to be, you know, independent or get that level of function that they need to sometimes live independently. So, I’m seeing that sometimes that can be a barrier for us in terms of being able to move patients to their next locations, but also for the patients themselves in feeling, you know, that they aren’t able to have that level of independence for some of the things they were able to manage before quite independently.” (HA1)

1b) “I’m still working on my balance” (SCI/D1)

Q4: “I think you have to develop some kind of exercise program and I think you have to stick with it because I know the difference if I’m not really watching what I’m doing. I’m not doing my exercises every week, all of a sudden, you say, “Oh, that’s a little tough.” (SCI/D2)

Q5: “This is my number one goal, yeah, balance.” (SCI/D1)

Q6: “And, I remember [PT] really pushed me to do it and then I mean I have to thank [PT] because I am walking now, but of course with two canes and walker, and I’m still worried about my balance.” (SCI/D1)

Q7: “I walk every day, but sometimes I don’t trust my balance.” (SCI/D1)

Q8:“Everyone will have some kind of, may have some kind of balance deficit after their injuries, whether stroke or spinal cord” (PT1)

1c) “Balance is very multi-faceted” (PT2)

Q9: “… in terms of describing balance with patient populations that I’ve worked with, I would say that it can be quite diverse, right? It can be…different balance deficits sort of in terms of range of degree of impairment, or severe or less severe. And, there could be lots of different reasons for why someone is having the balance deficits.” (RT3)

Q10: “I also am quite fascinated with the role that the upper extremity might play and how do we, you know challenge the balance, but also involve maybe the more affected limb, the upper limb.” (PT2)

Q11: “…sometimes if you have a quick [reflex] then spasticity kicks in.” (STR1)

1d) “A lot of individual variation” (RT3)

Q12: “… there could be lots of different reasons for why someone is having the balance deficits that they are, and that they might be different person to person. And they may be affecting individuals’ goals very differently as well.” (RT3)

Q13: “… we have different levels of balance deficits that we have to deal with because of the ways that or the how patients present to us.” (HA1)