Actively Recruiting
Stimulating Postural Control to Augment Rehabilitation After Cerebral Stroke (SPARC): a Pilot Trial
Led by University Health Network, Toronto · Updated on 2026-03-23
16
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
132 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
People living with stroke have a high risk of falling and this risk increases as mobility improves over the first year post-stroke. Despite the high number of falls, there is a lack of interventions to prevent falls after stroke. One possible solution is to alter nerve activity through delivery of a stimulus, such as electrical stimulation. The purpose of this study is to describe and compare clinical, biomechanical and nerve-related outcomes between individuals with stroke who receive RBT with tSCS and those who receive RBT with sham tSCS.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Stimulating Postural Control to Augment Rehabilitation After Cerebral Stroke (SPARC): a Pilot Trial
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Aged 18 years or greater
- Diagnosed with a middle cerebral artery stroke more than 1 year ago
- Living in the community (not in long-term care or inpatient setting)
- Able to stand independently for 60 seconds
- Able to understand spoken English
You will not qualify if you...
- Any condition other than stroke that significantly affects postural control (e.g., vestibular disorder, vision loss)
- Prior lower extremity fragility fracture
- Planned injection of botulinum toxin to the legs during the intervention period
- Peripheral nerve damage in the legs
- Contraindications for electrical stimulation (implanted electronic device, active cancer or radiation in past six months, uncontrolled epilepsy, skin rash or wound at electrode site, pregnancy, active deep vein thrombosis)
- Contraindications for transcranial magnetic stimulation (seizures, metal in the head)
- Previous participation in transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation within past 2 years
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4G 3V9
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
K
Kristin E Musselman, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
DOUBLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
OTHER
Number of Arms
2
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