Effect of Antigravity Treadmill Training on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Lower Limb Function in Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (Antigravity)

Effect of Antigravity Treadmill Locomotor Training on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Lower Limb Function in Patients With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

This study aims to investigate the effect of locomotor training using an antigravity treadmill on cardiorespiratory fitness and lower limb function in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Antigravity Treadmill for gait training; Other: gait training and balance exercise

Detailed Description

Sixty patients with incomplete spinal cord injury will be randomly assigned into two equal groups: the experimental group and the control group. Participants will be adults diagnosed with incomplete spinal cord injury classified as ASIA C or D. The experimental group will receive locomotor training using an antigravity treadmill in addition to conventional physiotherapy rehabilitation for 12 weeks. The control group will receive conventional physiotherapy rehabilitation only. The antigravity treadmill training program will be performed three sessions per week. Training intensity and body-weight support will be progressively adjusted according to patient tolerance and functional improvement.

Cardiorespiratory fitness will be evaluated using cardiopulmonary exercise testing and functional endurance assessments. Lower limb function will be assessed using gait and balance outcome measures.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Saher Lotfy Elgayar, phd; Phone Number: 00962786757649; Email: selgayar@meu.edu.jo

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Incomplete spinal cord injury (ASIA C or D)

• Injury duration more than 3 months
• Ability to stand with or without assistance
• Medically stable condition

Exclusion Criteria:

• Complete spinal cord injury

  • Severe cardiopulmonary disorders
  • Severe osteoporosis or fractures
  • Severe cognitive impairment
  • Other neurological disorders affecting gait

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Study Group; Antigravity Treadmill Training: Participants will undergo locomotor training for 30-45 minutes per session, three sessions per week, for 12 weeks. The training protocol will include: Warm-up for 5-10 minutes; Walking training with partial body-weight support; Progressive increase in treadmill speed according to tolerance; Gradual reduction of body-weight support; Cool-down period for 5 minutes	Device: Antigravity Treadmill for gait training; Antigravity treadmill for gait training; Other: gait training and balance exercise; gait training between Parallel bar Balance Exercise
Active Comparator: Control group; Thirty patients with incomplete spinal cord injury will receive gait training between parallel bar and balance exercise	Other: gait training and balance exercise; gait training between Parallel bar Balance Exercise

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cardiorespiratory fitness	Cardiopulmonary fitness will be measured by Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) to assess the integrated function of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and muscular systems during exercise. The gold-standard parameter obtained from CPET is: VO₂max VO₂max: Maximum rate of oxygen consumption achieved during maximal exercise. Units: mL/kg/min	At base line and 12 weeks
Lower Limb Function	Lower limb function will be measured by 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT) is a simple and reliable measure of walking speed, Assesses: Gait speed Procedure Mark a 10-meter walkway. The patient will walks at: Comfortable/self-selected speed (usual gait speed) Walking Speed (m/s)= Distance (m) /Time (s)	At base line and 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Middle East University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 12, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 12, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 20, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 12, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 17, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 12, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: Antigravity Treadmill SCI

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: No