View clinical trials related to Spinal Cord Injuries.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to examine the ability of simultaneous motorized upper and lower extremity cycling training to regulate spinal movement patterns in order to potentially restore functional abilities (i.e., walking) in individuals with an incomplete spinal cord injury. The researchers hypothesize there will be improved walking function following motorized cycling.
Spinal cord injury is a multi-sensory, motor and autonomic dysfunction, caused by various types of acute and chronic central nervous system injuries. And it will affect patient's ability to live normally and return to society. Due to lack of physical activity and psychological and environmental factors, the feces remain in the intestine for too long, and there will be excessive water absorption and lead to dryness and difficulty in excretion and it will be constipation. Chinese medicine, acupuncture and acupressure are the treatments of constipation in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acupressure is a non- invasive intervention which is easy to learn and apply. We have carried out a number of studies on spinal cord injury rehabilitation support and acupressure to solve chronic problems such as constipation and anxiety. And this study aims to investigate the effects of acupressure combined with nursing intervention on constipation and quality of life in community-dwelling spinal cord injury patients.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating life event with long term consequences both physically and mentally. SCI is defined as either complete or incomplete according to the International Standards of the Neurological Classification of SCI. The primary consequence of a SCI is paralysis/partial paralysis affecting the person's ability to independently functioning in everyday life e.g. in and out of bed, sit to stand and walking. To regain the ability to transfer and walk the most important prerequisite is to rebuild as much strength as possible in the lower extremities. The optimal training paradigm to increase strength in partial paralysed muscles is unclear. Rehabilitation robots are upcoming methods to treat sensorimotor deficits after SCI. The rehabilitation robot ROBERT might contribute to enhance muscle strength for people with very weak strength following an incomplete SCI. The overall objective of this Ph.D project is to investigate the feasibility and effect size of a muscle strength training intervention assisted by ROBERT® for patients with SCI and severe paresis (muscle strength 1-3 in hip flexion).
Following spinal cord injury signals between the brain and the bladder are disrupted. As a result the bladder often becomes overactive which can lead to the need for frequent trips to the toilet, regular incontinence episodes and a decreased quality-of-life. Neuromodulation is a therapy that aims to target the nerves that become overactive controlling the bladder, stopping the bladder overactivity on demand using an external (non-invasive) nerve stimulation box and sticker electrodes placed on the penis or clitoris. This study is a pilot study that aims to investigate neuromodulation for improving symptoms of bladder overactivity when used by 10 people over eight weeks at home. We will assess whether using the device improves bladder capacity, incontinence, frequency of needing the toilet and whether there are any longer lasting changes after 8 weeks. Finally, the study will aim to find out the acceptability of using this type of therapy for participants and the acceptability of the device we are using. Participants in this trial will participate over 13 weeks and need to visit our centre in Stanmore to have urodynamics tests in the 1st, 9th and 13th week. At home they will use a small stimulation device on a daily basis for 8 weeks to control overactivity in the bladder. Whilst at home they will record relevant outcomes in several three-day diaries and questionnaires. They will record baseline data before starting stimulation and for 4 weeks after.
A common problem among children with nervous system disorders is difficulty walking on their own. This has impacts beyond mobility including short and long-term health conditions associated with physical inactivity and different developmental experiences as a result of the mobility impairments. A robotic trainer can both provide rehabilitation and be an assistive device to help compensate for difficulties. Figuring out how to prescribe it is critical to improve daily life for children with significant disabilities. Preliminary use of robotic trainers have shown many benefits, such as better head control and improved independence in transfers, which greatly increases ability to live independently. Additionally, vital functions that are frequently impaired in those with less physical activity, such as sleep and bowel habits, seem to improve. Finally, these children enjoy using them. This project aims to determine who is most likely to benefit from training with a robotic trainer and investigate key details about the dose of training that is needed. Families that are already using or hope to use robotic training need this data to help improve their access to the intervention. Clinicians need this systematic approach to building evidence to ensure a future multi-centre randomized control trial is well designed. This study is needed to help improve the lives of those who live with significant disabilities. The objective is to evaluate the feasibility and impacts of delivering robotic gait training at home. Integral in this study is capturing the user perspectives. This will both provide preliminary evidence-based advice to potential users, their families, and clinicians as well as provide key metrics to design a definitive multi-centre randomized control trial. The investigators will provide robotic gait trainers, specifically Trexo robotic gait trainers, to participants and their families to use in their home communities for 12 weeks to evaluate the feasibility and impacts of intensive robotic gait training in people who cannot walk independently. Assessments will be completed throughout the duration of study, including before, during, and after the training intervention, with the goal of evaluating a wide range of feasibility considerations and impacts from robotic training.
Reduced arm and hand function has a significant impact on independence and quality of life after spinal cord injury. Functional electrical stimulation therapy (FES-T) is a treatment that can produce improvements in reaching and grasping function after neurological injuries. However, not all paralyzed muscles respond equally well to the therapy. Currently, therapists cannot predict which muscles will respond, limiting their ability to create a personalized therapy plan that can maximize outcomes while making the best use of the limited treatment time available. The objective of this study is to develop a diagnostic method that will allow therapists to quickly and easily screen muscles in the clinic, in order to predict how they will respond to FES-T. Participants with cervical spinal cord injury will receive FES-T through the Rocket Family Upper Extremity Clinic at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network. Muscles receiving training will undergo a electrophysiological examination before the start of therapy, and will then be tracked for strength recovery over the course of 30 sessions. Lastly, signal processing and machine learning techniques will be applied to the electrophysiological data to predict the recovery profile of each muscle. The significance of this work will be to provide personalized therapy planning in FES-T, leading to more effective use of healthcare resource as well as improved outcomes.
Long lasting inflammation in the body is related to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, which are the two most common causes of death in people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). Individuals with SCI have been reported to have higher levels of inflammation when compared to healthy individuals. Exercise is a well-known method to reduce inflammation; however, people with SCI are often inactive. The main goal of this study is to determine whether a 12-week adaptive exercise program can reduce inflammation in people with SCI. Participants will be randomized to start exercise immediately or after a 12-week delay.
The aim of study is to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of laminectomy alone to laminectomy and fusion in the treatment of traumatic cervical spinal cord injury without instability.
This study is designed is to test the feasibility, fidelity, and effectiveness of scaling up an evidence- and theory-based virtually delivered physical activity intervention (WOWii) for individuals living with chronic SCI for delivery through other rehabilitation settings. The study outcomes address (1) feasibility based on participant enrollment, retention, and program engagement; (2) fidelity of intervention delivery; and (3) program effectiveness based on subjective and objective exercise data, and participant exercise perceptions regarding self-efficacy and barriers.
This study will use a randomized controlled design with an active attention control group to evaluate an intervention intended to reduce social isolation and loneliness in persons with SCI/D. The intervention, Caring Connections, is a peer-based intervention which is important because peers with SCI/D play an important role in improving quality of life, mental health, and social health in persons with SCI/D.