Effects of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation on voluntary locomotor activity in an incomplete spinal cord injured individual

Non-patterned electrical spinal cord stimulation (SCS) via epidural electrodes can activate neural circuits involved in lower-limb motor control in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), and generate automatic, rhythmic flexion-extension movements in the paralyzed lower limbs. Here, we studied whether SCS can increase the excitability of locomotor circuits in a motor-incomplete SCI individual capable of voluntary treadmill stepping without support and whether this augmentation can be integrated into the residu- al voluntary motor control. SCS was applied through skin electrodes during active treadmill stepping. Sub-motor stim- ulation enhanced the voluntary lower limb EMG activities in a step-phase appropriate manner as well as reproducibly modified the coordination of hip and knee movements during stepping. Further study in a larger population is warranted.

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