Ultrasound Imaging Based Sensing of Human Ankle Motion Intent and Control Strategies for Ankle Assistance
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury, Transverse Myelitis
About this trial
This is an interventional other trial for Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury focused on measuring Voluntary strength, Ankle joint, Neuromuscular model, Ankle exoskeleton, Functional electrical stimulation, Nonlinear control, Sensor fusion, Treadmill walking, Walking biomechanics
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria for participants without neurological disorders:
- Age between the ages of 18 and 64,
- Weight less than 220 lb,
- Able to perform ankle movements such as ankle up motion, ankle down motion, side motion towards inside, and side motion towards outside while seated, and
- Able to walk normally at a preferred speed without any assistive device.
Exclusion Criteria for participants without neurological disorders:
- Any difficulty or an orthopedic condition that would impede ankle movements such as ankle up motion, ankle down motion, side motion towards inside, and side motion towards outside,
- Any difficulty walking normally or without assistance,
- Absence of sensation in lower extremities,
- An allergy to adhesive skin tapes and/or US gels,
- Pregnant Females,
- No ankle muscle response to FES.
Inclusion Criteria for participants with neurological disorders:
- 18-64 years of age and have a primary diagnosis of traumatic/non-traumatic iSCI or demyelinating diseases like transverse myelitis,
- Weight less than 220 lb,
- Sub-acute or chronic phase (at least 3 months after injury) incomplete motor lesion (AIS C or D at enrollment) at cervical, thoracic or lumbar level,
- Ability to ambulate over ground independent using either a cane or rolling walker, as well as those that do not require any assistive devices but do have some mobility difficulties,
- Medically stable with medical clearance for participation, no evidence of cardiopulmonary or pulmonary disease, severe spasticity, and asymmetric hip positions,
- Ability to respond to FES on dorsiflexors and plantarflexors, and
- No use of any FES devices or already in use of a FES device for mobility support (like a Bioness device) but will not use the device during the study.
Exclusion Criteria for participants with neurological disorders:
- Subjects with other neuromuscular diseases such as polio, stroke, or multiple sclerosis,
- Presence of transmissible diseases such as (but not limited to) hepatitis or immunodeficiency virus,
- Any clinical condition contraindicating gait,
- Untreatable chronic pain,
- Severe spasticity (Ashworth scale score > 3),
- Severe reduction in lower limb joint Range of Motion (ROM) higher than 20 deg,
- At a high risk of a fracture from osteoporosis,
- Any skin problem inhibiting robot usage, major depression or psychosis,
- Subjects with heart conditions and pacemakers,
- Concurrent severe medical disease, pressure sores, open wounds, existing infection, unstable spine, unhealed limber pelvic fractures, history of recurrent fractures, known orthopedic injury to lower extremities, and osteoporosis,
- Have open wounds,
- Pregnant Females,
- No ankle muscle response to FES.
Sites / Locations
- 1807 N. Fordham Blvd. UNC Center for Rehabilitation Care of Chapel HillRecruiting
- 4212C Engineering Building III 1840 Entrepreneur Dr.Recruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Experimental
Group A - Particiapnts without neurological disorders
Group S - Participants with iSCI or transverse myelitis
Individuals without neurological disorders will be recruited (Group A).
Individuals with neurological disorders, like iSCI or transverse myelitis, will be recruited (Group S). These individuals usually have weakened ankle joint functionalities but can walk independently.