Consumer views of functional electrical stimulation and robotic exoskeleton in SCI rehabilitation: A mini review.

Background: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) and robotic exoskeletons represent emerging technologies with significant potential for restoring critical physical functions such as standing and walking-functions that are most susceptible after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the further development and successful integration of these technologies into clinical practice and daily life require a deep understanding of consumer perspectives.

Objective: This review synthesizes consumer perspectives from a diverse range of technology stakeholders, including medical service providers, researchers, and persons affected by SCI-those living with SCI and their caregivers.

Neurogenic Aging After Spinal Cord Injury: Highlighting the Unique Characteristics of Aging After Spinal Cord Injury.

Emanating from several decades of study into the effects of the aging process after spinal cord injury (SCI), "accelerated aging" has become a common expression as the SCI accelerates the onset of age-related pathologies. However, the aging process follows a distinct trajectory, characterized by unique patterns of decline that differ from those observed in the general population without SCI. Aging brings significant changes to muscles, bones, and hormones, impacting overall physical function.

Mobility Medicine: A call to unify hyper-fragmented specialties by abstracts sent to 2025Pdm3, and typescripts to Ejtm3, and .

Mega scientific conferences increasingly suffer from the need for short and poster presentations without discussion. An alternative is to organize workshops in hotels large enough to accommodate all participants. This significantly increases the opportunities for constructive discussion during breakfasts, lunches, dinners and long evenings that can bring together experts of scientific and clinical sub-specialties and young fellows.

MRI Spinal Cord Reconstruction Provides Insights into Mapping and Migration Following Percutaneous Epidural Stimulation Implantation in Spinal Cord Injury.

: Spinal cord epidural stimulation (SCES) has the potential to restore motor functions following spinal cord injury (SCI). Spinal cord mapping is a cornerstone step towards successfully configuring SCES to improve motor function, aiming to restore standing and stepping abilities in individuals with SCI. While some centers have advocated for the use of intraoperative mapping to anatomically target the spinal cord locomotor centers, this is a resource-intensive endeavor and may not be a feasible approach in all centers.

Skeletal muscle hypertrophy and enhanced mitochondrial bioenergetics following electrical stimulation exercises in spinal cord injury: a randomized clinical trial.

We examined the combined effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation-resistance training (NMES-RT) and functional electrical stimulation-lower extremity cycling (FES-LEC) compared to passive movement training (PMT) and FES-LEC on mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes and citrate synthase (CS) in adults with SCI. Thirty-two participants with chronic SCI were randomized to 24 weeks of NMES-RT + FES [n = 16 (14 males and 2 females) with an age range of 20-54 years old] or PMT + FES [n = 16 (12 males and 4 females) with an age range of 21-61 years old]. The NMES-RT + FES group underwent 12 weeks of surface NMES-RT using ankle weights followed by an additional 12 weeks of FES-LEC.

Basal Metabolic Rate Versus Dietary Vitamin D and Calcium Intakes and the Association With Body Composition and Bone Health After Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

We examined the association among basal metabolic rate (BMR) as well as dietary intakes of vitamin D (Vit D) and calcium on body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) after spinal cord injury (SCI). Cross-sectional design. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, VA.

Bodyweight influences the relationship between serum testosterone and bone mineral density in men with spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Objective: To examine the association between serum testosterone levels (T levels) and bone mineral density after spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting: Medical research center.

Validation of basal metabolic rate equations in persons with innervated and denervated chronic spinal cord injury.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) measurement is time consuming and requires specialized equipment. Prediction equations allow clinicians and researchers to estimate BMR; however, their accuracy may vary across individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). The objective of this study was to investigate the validity of SCI-specific equations as well as able-bodied (AB) prediction equations in individuals with upper motor neuron (UMN), lower motor neuron (LMN), and females with SCI.

The Clinical Management of Electrical Stimulation Therapies in the Rehabilitation of Individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries.

People with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) often have trouble remaining active because of paralysis. In the past, exercise recommendations focused on the non-paralyzed muscles in the arms, which provides limited benefits. However, recent studies show that electrical stimulation can help engage the paralyzed extremities, expanding the available muscle mass for exercise.

Peak Slope Ratio of the Recruitment Curves Compared to Muscle Evoked Potentials to Optimize Standing Configurations with Percutaneous Epidural Stimulation after Spinal Cord Injury.

Percutaneous spinal cord epidural stimulation (pSCES) has effectively restored varying levels of motor control in persons with motor complete spinal cord injury (SCI). Studying and standardizing the pSCES configurations may yield specific motor improvements. Previously, reliance on the amplitude of the SCES-evoked potentials (EPs) was used to determine the correct stimulation configurations.

State of art of mobility medicine: some more abstracts and evidence that the success of Pdm3 is based on extra-session relationships.

Scientific conferences increasingly suffer from the need for short presentations in which speakers like to dwell on the details of their work. A mitigating factor is to encourage discussion and planning of collaborations by organizing small meetings in a hotel large enough to host all attendees. This extends discussions' opportunities during morning breakfasts, lunches, dinners and long evenings together.

The International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESS): Highlights from the IFESS conference at Rehabweek 2023.

The annual conference of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESS) was held in conjunction with the 7th RehabWeek Congress, from September 24 to 28, 2023 at the Resorts World Convention Centre on Sentosa Island, in Singapore. The Congress was a joint meeting of the International Consortium on Rehabilitation Technology (ICRT) together with 10 other societies in the field of assistive technology and rehabilitation engineering. The conference features comprehensive blend of technical and clinical context of FES, a sustained value the society has offered over many years.

Interleaved configurations of percutaneous epidural stimulation enhanced overground stepping in a person with chronic paraplegia.

Descending motor signals are disrupted after complete spinal cord injury (SCI) resulting in loss of standing and walking. We previously restored standing and trunk control in a person with a T3 complete SCI following implantation of percutaneous spinal cord epidural stimulation (SCES). We, hereby, present a step-by-step procedure on configuring the SCES leads to initiate rhythmic lower limb activation (rhythmic-SCES) resulting in independent overground stepping in parallel bars and using a standard walker.

Effects of two different paradigms of electrical stimulation exercise on cardio-metabolic risk factors after spinal cord injury. A randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To examine the combined effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation-resistance training (NMES-RT) and functional electrical stimulation-lower extremity cycling (FES-LEC) compared to passive movement training (PMT) and FES-LEC in adults with SCI on (1) oxygen uptake (VO), insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal in adults with SCI; (2) Metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers; (3) skeletal muscle, intramuscular fat (IMF) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) cross-sectional areas (CSAs).

Materials And Methods: Thirty-three participants with chronic SCI (AIS A-C) were randomized to 24 weeks of NMES-RT + FES or PMT + FES. The NMES-RT + FES group underwent 12 weeks of evoked surface NMES-RT using ankle weights followed by an additional 12 weeks of progressive FES-LEC.

The comparison of total energy and protein intake relative to estimated requirements in chronic spinal cord injury.

In chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), individuals experience dietary inadequacies complicated by an understudied research area. Our objectives were to assess (1) the agreement between methods of estimating energy requirement (EER) and estimated energy intake (EEI) and (2) whether dietary protein intake met SCI-specific protein guidelines. Persons with chronic SCI ( = 43) completed 3-day food records to assess EEI and dietary protein intake.

Electrical Stimulation Exercise for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Healthcare Provider Perspective.

Electrical stimulation exercise has become an important modality to help improve the mobility and health of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Electrical stimulation is used to stimulate peripheral nerves in the extremities to assist with muscle strengthening or functional activities such as cycling, rowing, and walking. Electrical stimulation of the peripheral nerves in the upper extremities has become a valuable tool for predicting the risk of hand deformities and rehabilitating functional grasping activities.

Trends in measuring BMR and RMR after spinal cord injury: a comprehensive review.

Studying factors that contribute to our understanding of maintaining normal energy balance are of paramount significance following spinal cord injury (SCI). Accurate determination of energy needs is crucial for providing nutritional guidance and managing the increasing prevalence of malnutrition or obesity after SCI. BMR represents 75-80 % of the total energy expenditure in persons with SCI.

A case study of percutaneous epidural stimulation to enable motor control in two men after spinal cord injury.

Two persons with chronic motor complete spinal cord injury (SCI) were implanted with percutaneous spinal cord epidural stimulation (SCES) leads to enable motor control below the injury level (NCT04782947). Through a period of temporary followed by permanent SCES implantation, spinal mapping was conducted primarily to optimize configurations enabling volitional control of movement and training of standing and stepping as a secondary outcome. In both participants, SCES enabled voluntary increased muscle activation and movement below the injury and decreased assistance during exoskeleton-assisted walking.

Denervation impacts muscle quality and knee bone mineral density after spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To compare muscle size, body composition, bone mineral density (BMD), and metabolic profiles in denervated versus innervated individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting: Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center.

Effects of percutaneously-implanted epidural stimulation on cardiovascular autonomic function and spasticity after complete spinal cord injury: A case report.

Importance: There is a revived interest to explore spinal cord epidural stimulation (SCES) to improve physical function after spinal cord injury (SCI). This case report highlights the potential of eliciting multiple functional improvements with a single SCES configuration, a strategy which could improve clinical translation.

Objective: To determine whether SCES intended to facilitate walking also acutely yields benefits in cardiovascular autonomic regulation and spasticity.

Optimization of Transspinal Stimulation Applications for Motor Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury: Scoping Review.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition that can significantly affect an individual's life, causing paralysis, autonomic dysreflexia, and chronic pain. Transspinal stimulation (TSS) is a non-invasive form of neuromodulation that activates the underlying neural circuitries of the spinal cord. Application of TSS can be performed through multiple stimulation protocols, which may vary in the electrodes' size or position as well as stimulation parameters, and which may influence the response of motor functions to the stimulation.

Employment of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation to Examine Muscle and Bone Qualities after Spinal Cord Injury.

(1) Background: Resource intensive imaging tools have been employed to examine muscle and bone qualities after spinal cord injury (SCI). We tested the hypothesis that surface neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) amplitude can be used to examine knee extensor muscle quality, distal femur and proximal tibia bone mineral density (BMD) in persons with SCI. (2) Methods: Seventeen persons (2 women) with chronic SCI participated in three weeks of NMES-resistance training twice weekly of 4 sets of 10 repetitions.