Vibration for Muscle Spasms After Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injuries
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Spinal Cord Injuries focused on measuring SCI, Spasms, Vibration
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male and females between ages 18-85 years of age
- SCI ( ≥1 month of injury)
- ASIA A, B,C and D
- SCI above L5
- Able to perform a visible contraction with dorsiflexor and hip flexor muscles (allowing testing of largely impaired patients)
- Able to ambulate a few steps with or without an assistive device.
Inclusion criteria for healthy controls:
- Male and females between ages 18-85 years
- Able to complete precision grips with both hands
- Able to complete full elbow flexion-extension with both arms.
- Able to walk and complete lower-limb tests with both legs.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Uncontrolled medical problems including pulmonary, cardiovascular or orthopedic disease,
- Any debilitating disease prior to the SCI that caused exercise intolerance
- Premorbid, ongoing major depression or psychosis, altered cognitive status
- History of head injury or stroke,
- Metal plate in skull
- History of seizures
- Receiving drugs acting primarily on the central nervous system, which lower the seizure threshold such as antipsychotic drugs (chlorpromazine, clozapine) or tricyclic antidepressants.
- Pregnant females, and
- Ongoing cord compression or a syrinx in the spinal cord or who suffer from a spinal cord disease such as spinal stenosis, spina bifida or herniated cervical disk.
This information will be obtained by self-report.
Sites / Locations
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLabRecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
Active Comparator
Healthy Controls Group
Spinal Cord Injury Group
1. A focus group to gather information about the perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards management of muscle spasms by vibration using our portable device, information that will drive design improvement (size, fit, weight).
1a. A focus group to gather information about the perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards management of muscle spasms by vibration using our portable device, information that will drive design improvement (size, fit, weight). 1b. In the lab, we will trigger spasms in paralyzed leg muscles in one of two common postures (seated, reclined), detect the contractions using electromyography (EMG), and condition alternate spasms with vibration using our custom device. We will examine the vibration parameters that reduce muscle spasms best. 2. Participants will complete 1 or 2 multi-day experiments. EMG (24-hour) data will be collected at baseline (day 1), during the vibration intervention (day 2), and post intervention (day 3) to examine the acute effects of vibration on muscle spasms