Recovery of Over-Ground Walking after Chronic Motor Complete Spinal Cord Injury

N Engl J Med. 2018 Sep 27;379(13):1244-1250. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1803588. Epub 2018 Sep 24.

Abstract

Persons with motor complete spinal cord injury, signifying no voluntary movement or sphincter function below the level of injury but including retention of some sensation, do not recover independent walking. We tested intense locomotor treadmill training with weight support and simultaneous spinal cord epidural stimulation in four patients 2.5 to 3.3 years after traumatic spinal injury and after failure to improve with locomotor training alone. Two patients, one with damage to the mid-cervical region and one with damage to the high-thoracic region, achieved over-ground walking (not on a treadmill) after 278 sessions of epidural stimulation and gait training over a period of 85 weeks and 81 sessions over a period of 15 weeks, respectively, and all four achieved independent standing and trunk stability. One patient had a hip fracture during training. (Funded by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02339233 .).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chronic Disease
  • Electrodes, Implanted
  • Epidural Space
  • Exercise Therapy*
  • Humans
  • Locomotion
  • Male
  • Recovery of Function*
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / rehabilitation*
  • Spinal Cord Stimulation*
  • Walking*

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02339233