SCI Acute Intermittent Hypoxia and Non-Invasive Spinal Stimulation Combined With Gait Training

Locomotor Function Following Acute Intermittent Hypoxia (AIH) and Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation (tSCS) With Gait Therapy Versus Traditional Gait Therapy in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

This is a single blind, sham controlled crossover trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of acute intermittent hypoxia therapy (AIH) combined with transcutaneous (non-invasive) spinal cord stimulation on gait and balance function for individuals after spinal cord injury.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Spinal Cord Diseases; Spinal Cord Injuries
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training; Other: Sham Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training; Other: Sham Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Sham Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

• To determine whether acute intermittent hypoxia therapy (AIH) combined with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation during ambulation training modulates spinal locomotor networks in individuals with spinal cord injury
• To determine whether acute intermittent hypoxia therapy (AIH) combined with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation during ambulation training improves locomotor function in individuals with spinal cord injury
• To determine whether acute intermittent hypoxia therapy (AIH) combined with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation during ambulation training improves symmetry of gait in individuals with spinal cord injury
• To determine whether acute intermittent hypoxia therapy (AIH) combined with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation during ambulation training improves standing posture and balance in individuals with spinal cord injury
• To determine whether ambulation efficiency (improved cardiovascular conditioning) improves with a combination of AIH, transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation and ambulation training in individuals with spinal cord injury

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 14
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
      • Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants have been diagnosed with a spinal cord injury below level C2
• ASIA Impairment Scale Grade A-D
• Participants are 18 years of age or older
• Participants are at least 6 months post spinal cord injury
• Participants with paraplegia or tetraplegia secondary to a single spinal cord injury
• Participants are able to provide informed consent
• Participants are not currently receiving regular physical therapy services

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals less than 18 years of age
• Individuals less than 6 months post spinal cord injury
• Individuals with ataxia
• Individuals with multiple spinal cord injury history
• Pregnancy or nursing
• Pacemaker or anti-spasticity implantable pumps
• Active pressure sores
• Unhealed bone fractures
• Peripheral neuropathies
• Painful musculoskeletal dysfunction due to active injuries or infections
• Severe contractures in the lower extremities
• Active urinary tract infection
• Clinically significant depression, psychiatric disorders, or ongoing drug abuse
• Diagnosed with any of the following medical conditions: congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, severe asthma, previous myocardial infraction, or known carotid/intracerebral artery stenosis
• Individuals with a tracheostomy or who utilize mechanical ventilation.
• Individuals who are currently enrolled in another interventional research study or in therapy related to upper extremity function.
• Participants will be excluded if they have had a botulinum toxin injection to lower extremity musculature within the last 3 months. Participants will need to refrain from lower extremity botulinum toxin injections for the duration of the study. If participants wean off antispasticity medications to successfully complete the responsiveness to AIH screening session, they will need to refrain from the medications for the duration of the study.
• Documented sleep apnea.
• Orthopedic injuries or surgeries that would impact an individual's ability to use the lower extremity.
• Traumatic brain injury or other neurological conditions that would impact the study.
• Blood hemoglobin levels less than 10g/dL.

We will not include the following populations:

• Adults unable to consent, unless accompanied by a legally authorized representative.
• Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
• Pregnant women
• Prisoners

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training; May receive up to 45 minutes of AIH prior to up to 50 min of locomotion training with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation. However, the amount of time spent in side-lying locomotion training, treadmill training and overground training will depend on individual tolerance and progression. Intervention: Device: AIH prior to Noninvasive spinal stimulation during gait training	Device: Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training; Subjects will receive up to 45 minutes of AIH prior to receiving transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation delivered by a Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Neurostimulator while performing locomotor activities.; Other Names: AIH + tSCS+ Gait
Sham Comparator: Sham Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training; May receive up to 45 minutes of Sham AIH prior to up to 50 min of locomotion training with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation. However, the amount of time spent in side-lying locomotion training, treadmill training and overground training will depend on individual tolerance and progression.	Other: Sham Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training; Subjects will perform locomotor activities with transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation after receiving sham acute intermittent hypoxia; Other Names: SHAM AIH + tSCS + Gait
Sham Comparator: Sham Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Sham Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training; May receive up to 45 minutes of Sham AIH prior to up to 50 min of locomotion training with sham transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation. However, the amount of time spent in side-lying locomotion training, treadmill training and overground training will depend on individual tolerance and progression.	Other: Sham Acute Intermittent Hypoxia + Sham Non Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation + Gait Training; Subjects will perform locomotor activities with sham transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation after receiving sham acute intermittent hypoxia; Other Names: SHAM AIH + SHAM tSCS + Gait

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in 6 Minute Walk Test	The 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) measures the distance a subject can walk indoors on a flat, hard surface in a period of 6 minutes, using assertive devices, as necessary. The test is a reliable and valid evaluation of functional exercise capacity and is used as a sub-maximal test of aerobic capacity and endurance. The walk test is patient self-paced and assesses the level of functional capacity. Patients are allowed to stop and rest during the test, however, the timer does not stop. If the patient is unable to complete the time, the time stopped is noted and reason for stopping prematurely is recorded. This test was completed at 4 time points within each arm: 1) Baseline prior to starting each arm, 2) intervention session 5 within each arm (T5), 3) 3 days after the intervention sessions were complete for the given arm (POST), and 4) 1 week after all intervention sessions were complete for a given arm (1-week follow up)	Baseline (initial visit within an arm), Intervention session 5 within each arm (T5), 3 days after intervention sessions complete within each arm (POST), 1 week after intervention sessions are complete within each arm (1-week follow up)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in 10 Meter Walk Test, Fast Velocity	This test will examine the patient's gait speed. Patients will be directed to walk at their preferred maximum but safe speed: 1) Baseline prior to starting each arm, 2) intervention session 5 within each arm (T5), 3) 3 days after the intervention sessions were complete for the given arm (POST), and 4) 1 week after all intervention sessions were complete for a given arm (1-week follow up)	Baseline (initial visit within an arm), Intervention session 5 within each arm (T5), 3 days after intervention sessions complete within each arm (POST), 1 week after intervention sessions are complete within each arm (1-week follow up)
Timed Up and Go Test: Assesses Mobility, Balance, Walking Ability and Fall Risk	The participant starts seated in a chair with his/her back against the chair back. On command, the participant rises from the chair, walks 3 meters, turns, walks back to the chair and sits down. Timing begins when the command to start is given and stops when the participant returns to a seated position. 1) Baseline prior to starting each arm, 2) intervention session 5 within each arm (T5), 3) 3 days after the intervention sessions were complete for the given arm (POST), and 4) 1 week after all intervention sessions were complete for a given arm (1-week follow up)	Baseline (initial visit within an arm), Intervention session 5 within each arm (T5), 3 days after intervention sessions complete within each arm (POST), 1 week after intervention sessions are complete within each arm (1-week follow up)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
• Collaborators: University of California, Los Angeles
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Arun Jayaraman, PT, PhD, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 1, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 3, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): January 3, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 17, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 17, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): April 22, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): January 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 19, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Hypoxia; Spinal Cord Injury; Stimulation; Spinal Stimulation; Noninvasive stimulation; Acute intermittent hypoxia
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Wounds and Injuries; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Trauma, Nervous System; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Hypoxia; Spinal Cord Injuries; Spinal Cord Diseases; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Investigative Techniques; Therapeutics; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; Reproductive Techniques; Physical Examination; Reproduction; Reproductive Physiological Phenomena; Reproductive and Urinary Physiological Phenomena; Locomotion; Insemination, Artificial; Insemination; Walking; Insemination, Artificial, Homologous; Gait
• Other Study ID Numbers: STU00211806

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No