Stimulation to Enhance Walking Post-SCI

Study Summary

This pilot study will investigate the effects of transcutaneous direct current stimulation (tsDCS) on walking function in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury. Following rehabilitation, individuals with ISCI often demonstrate improved walking function, but continue to have serious impairments that limit mobility, community participation and quality of life. Adjuvants to rehabilitation that increase spinal excitation during training may enhance its effectiveness. tsDCS is a non-invasive neuromodulation approach that uses a mild electrical current, applied over the skin of the low back, to alter the membrane potential of spinal neurons. tsDCS will be applied during locomotor training, a well-established rehabilitation strategy that promotes walking recovery. Locomotor training emphasizes repetitive and task-specific practice of coordinated walking, often with therapist assistance or cueing to promote high quality movement patterns. The study team will explore if tsDCS combined with locomotor training increases spinal excitation and thereby improves the effectiveness of walking rehabilitation.

Primary Outcome

Performance assessment of comfortable and fastest safe walking speed for 10 meters. A reduced time (in seconds) to complete the 10-Meter Walk Test reflects improvement in walking function.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• DEVICE Soterix Medical tsDCS stimulator
• OTHER Locomotor training

Study Locations (1)