Study of Activity-Based Therapy with Spinal Cord Stimulation to Improve Arm and Hand Function After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating how activity-based therapy combined with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation can help improve arm and hand function after cervical spinal cord injury. This one-arm interventional study focuses on neurorestoration for individuals with tetraplegia due to chronic traumatic or non-traumatic cervical spinal cord injury. The study aims to assess both the feasibility and potential benefits of these therapies for upper limb recovery. Participants will undergo 12 sessions of activity-based therapy over 4 weeks, followed by 28 sessions combining activity-based therapy with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation over 7 weeks. Each session lasts one hour and is conducted three times a week. The stimulation is applied at specific cervical spinal levels to modulate motor commands controlling the muscles. This combined approach includes exercises such as cardio-fitness, resistance, postural, weightbearing, and functional movements. Throughout the study, participants will be assessed multiple times at the start, after 6 weeks to confirm neurological stability, after the initial 12 sessions of activity-based therapy, and after the combined therapy sessions. Assessments include neurological classification, strength and sensation testing, independence measures, hand function tests, and neurophysiological evaluations using electromyography. These evaluations will help determine functional changes and therapy feasibility over the total study duration of approximately 11 weeks.

Activity-Based Therapy and Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation After Spinal Cord Injury (ABT-TCSCS)