Spatiotemporal tSCS in Spinal Cord Injury

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)

In brief

Spinal cord injury leads to long-lasting impairment, and currently, there is no cure for paralysis. Although transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation has shown promising results in recovering lost movements, its poor selectivity in muscle recruitment compared to invasive approaches limits the type of rehabilitation exercises that can be practiced. This project studies how spatial, frequency, and amplitude control of stimulation can be used to selectively target different neural pathways and muscle groups.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07397559

Run by

Washington University School of Medicine

People needed

48

Starts

2026-01-19

Expected to finish

2030-08-31

Last updated by the study team

2026-02-12

Who can join

Age: 16 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Age between 16 and 65 years.
• Have a spinal cord injury (neurological level C3-T12) that occurred ≥1 year (chronic stage) prior to enrollment.
• American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) classification C or D
• Able to voluntarily contract (motor score ≥ 1) at least two leg muscles (visual or palpable contraction).
• Use of prescription medication(s) for control of spasticity has not changed in the last 2 weeks
• Able to provide consent
• Ability to follow multiple instructions and communicate pain or discomfort

You may not qualify if…

• Progressive spinal lesions, including degenerative disorders of the spinal cord
• Pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or currently breastfeeding
• History of cardiopulmonary disease or cardiac symptoms
• Implanted stimulators of any type (baclofen pump, epidural spinal stimulator, cardiac defibrillator, pace-maker, etc.)
• Presence of orthopedic conditions that would negatively affect participation in leg exercise
• History of autonomic dysreflexia that is severe, unstable, and/or uncontrolled
• Unstable or significant medical conditions that can interfere with exercise or neurophysiological evaluations, such as severe neuropathic pain, depression, mood disorders, or other cognitive disorders
• Spasms that limit the ability to participate in leg exercise activity
• Breakdown in skin area that will be in contact with electrodes

Where it is running

• Washington University, St. Louis — St Louis, Missouri, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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