Improving Gait in Patients With Spinal Cord Injuries

June 23, 2005 updated by: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Effects of Sensory Motor Input on Gait in SCI (Spinal Cord Injured) Subjects

This study is part of a larger clinical trial that examines the potential of a 12-week treadmill-training program to improve walking in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Patients in the trial are at least 1 year past their injury. This substudy tests a combination of two strategies to enhance the treadmill training program: electrically stimulating a muscle withdrawal reflex and providing body weight support by partially suspending patients as they walk on the treadmill.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Patients with spastic paresis due to incomplete SCI have inadequate motor control of the lower extremities that results in a number of abnormalities of movement. Among these are unregulated spinal reflexes, inadequate and delayed motor recruitment, and balance deficits. If the patient can walk, these abnormalities manifest in a gait pattern that has poorly coordinated timing between different muscle groups, decreased weight bearing capacity, and inappropriate muscle activity, such as scissoring.

Research in patients with SCIs has demonstrated that, despite the damage to the spinal cord, many of the nervous system pathways that control walking remain intact and can be activated by the proper sensory stimulation. Two technologies that may enhance the benefits of treadmill walking are body weight support (BWS) and functional electrical stimulation (FES). Preliminary studies indicate that by combining these two interventions, gait performance is improved such that more efficient and functional movement emerges. This study will evaluate the benefits of adding BWS and FES to a treadmill-training program for patients with SCIs.

During the treadmill training, patients are suspended in an apparatus to provide partial body weight support (BWS). The training effects of BWS locomotion with FES over the course of a multi-session training program will be examined. Study visits will be scheduled 3 days each week for 12 weeks. Participants will have follow-up visits at Months 3 and 12. Gait parameters modified by training will be identified and the nature of these changes will be characterized. Specifically, walking speed, kinematics, electromyography (EMG), and muscle strength will be assessed.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

36

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Florida
      • Miami, Florida, United States, 33136
        • Miami Project, Bantle Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Spinal cord injury classified as American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) C
  • At least 1 year post injury

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Spinal cord injuries of other severities (classified ASIA A, B, D, or E)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Edelle Carmen Field, Ph.D., P.T., University of Miami

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

May 1, 1998

Study Completion

April 1, 2002

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 16, 2003

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 16, 2003

First Posted (Estimate)

May 19, 2003

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

June 24, 2005

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 23, 2005

Last Verified

May 1, 2003

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 5K01HD001193-02 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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