Not Yet RecruitingEarly Phase 1

tESCS for Upper Limb Rehab in Spinal Cord Injury

United Kingdom20 participantsStarted 2025-11

Plain-language summary

Regaining hand and arm function is an important step towards regaining independence following high-level spinal cord injury (tetraplegia). The delivery of small electrical pulses over the skin above the spinal cord, called transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tESCS), appears to improve the arm and hand function of people who have had tetraplegia for several years when delivered at the same time as upper limb therapy. However, tESCS has not been tested in people who have a new spinal cord injury. It should be straightforward to deliver tESCS during standard upper limb therapy sessions to inpatients receiving primary rehabilitation. The investigators want to test the practical aspects of delivering this intervention and also to compare recovery between a group of people who only receive upper limb therapy and a group who receive upper limb therapy and tESCS. If successful, tESCS could in the future be used as part of regular therapy following an acute spinal cord injury. Benefits could include faster and better recovery, reduced stay in hospital, and reduced NHS costs.

Who can participate

Age range18 Years

SexALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 years or over, both sexes. * At least 6 weeks post-implant (in participants having a surgery for an implant to stabilise the spine). * ISNCSCI upper extremity motor score between 5 and 30 (both arms/hands) * GRASSP-strength score \>=15 \& \<70 * Medically stable, cognitively intact and able to breathe independently. * Attending upper limb therapy sessions at the QENSIU * Planned stay longer than the duration of the intervention * Able to sit for more than 2 hours a day Exclusion Criteria: * Unstable cervical spine injury * Needing ventilation assistance during daytime * Any implanted active metallic device without unconfirmed MRI compatibility (in our previous studies, we safely applied tESCS to participants with MRI-compatible devices/implants) * Pregnancy and/or lactation. * Non-injury-related neurological impairment * Severe spasticity which have been unstable prior to enrolment * Botulinum toxin injections- * Clinically significant severe depression * Patients who have cardiovascular disease * Patients with severe ongoing Autonomic Dysreflexia * Skin conditions or allergies that may affect electrode placement. * Current infections * Patients who have been involved in any other interventional study

What they're measuring

Retention

Timeframe: From enrollment till the last assesment at 8 weeks

Interference

Timeframe: From enrolment till the end of intervention at 4 weeks

Stimulation

Timeframe: From the first till the last intervention session at 4 weeks

Adverse effects

Timeframe: from the first till the last intervention session at 4 weeks

Feedback

Timeframe: From enrolment till the last assesment at 8 weeks

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07208188

SponsorNHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2027-10

Contact for this trial

Mariel A Purcell, MB CHB BAO

+44 141 201 2536 Margaret.Purcell@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) trials