Active clinical trials for "Spinal Cord Injuries"

The aim of study is to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of laminectomy alone to laminectomy and fusion in the treatment of traumatic cervical spinal cord injury without instability.

The objectives of this study are to (1) determine the effects of neuromodulation techniques on mobility in persons with chronic SCI, as measured by subjective and objective measures, and (2) to determine the optimal combination of techniques that modify mobility and movement in an individual. The neuromodulation techniques explored will be methods of electromagnetic stimulation - that is, electrical stimulation and magnetic stimulation.

This study examines the immediate and long-term effects of lumbosacral TENS on spasticity and residual voluntary force control in spinal cord injury in comparison to no TENS. Participants in the intervention group will receive 2 months of TENS. Participants in the control group will receive TENS after a 2-month delay. Modified Ashworth score and pendulum test will be used to assess spasticity and force control. Electrophysiological measures will be used to assess the activity profile of motorneurons.

SATURN investigates the promising role of NeuroAiD in patients with spinal cord injury and will provide important information on the feasibility of conducting larger controlled trials.

This study will investigate the effects of transcutaneous direct current stimulation (tsDCS) on walking function in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury. Following rehabilitation, individuals with ISCI often demonstrate improved walking function, but continue to have serious impairments that limit mobility, community participation and quality of life. Adjuvants to rehabilitation that increase spinal excitation during training may enhance its effectiveness. tsDCS is a non-invasive neuromodulation approach that uses a mild electrical current, applied over the skin of the low back, to alter the membrane potential of spinal neurons. tsDCS will be applied during locomotor training, a well-established rehabilitation strategy that promotes walking recovery. Locomotor training emphasizes repetitive and task-specific practice of coordinated walking, often with therapist assistance or cueing to promote high quality movement patterns. The study team will explore if tsDCS combined with locomotor training increases spinal excitation and thereby improves the effectiveness of walking rehabilitation.

Phase 2/3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-treatment, multicenter trial assessing the efficacy and safety of MYOBLOC for the treatment of upper limb spasticity in adults followed by an open-label extension safety trial.

Falls is a health crisis that costs health care systems billions of dollars each year. This crisis is especially relevant for people living with spinal cord injury (SCI) as most of these people will fall at least once per year. Falls can cause injury and a fear of falling, which often causes people to restrict their mobility and daily activities. Despite its importance, fall prevention for people with SCI is understudied, and as a result, there is a lack of treatments to address their high fall risk. We will evaluate a new treatment for fall prevention. Photovoice is a method that uses photographs and dialogue to share experiences, understand an issue and promote positive change. Specifically, we aim to evaluate the effects of photovoice on confidence related to balance and falls, occurrence of falls, participation in daily activities and quality of life among people living with SCI. We also aim to understand participants' experiences with photovoice as a fall prevention program. To achieve these aims, 40 individuals living with SCI will participate in this study. Participants will complete a six-week photovoice program that involves photo assignments, individual interviews and group meetings. The program will be led by a person with SCI and a member of the research team with a background in physical or occupational therapy or kinesiology. Questionnaires will be used throughout the study to measure confidence, participation and quality of life. The occurrence of falls will be tracked for 12 weeks before and after the photovoice program. At the end of the study, each participant's experiences with photovoice will be collected through interviews. The proposed research will address a critical gap in SCI rehabilitation, namely effective fall prevention, to improve well-being after SCI. The research findings will inform the need for, and design of, a larger clinical trial, and has the potential to transform fall prevention after SCI. The data sharing plan includes sharing study-related information with people living with spinal cord injury. Dissemination activities targeting this group will be developed with input from study participants (e.g., photos may be converted to printed and online art displays and shared through community SCI organizations). Dissemination initiatives will also target health care administrators and rehabilitation clinicians. Study information will be shared with the professional associations representing these groups. To reach researchers in the SCI rehabilitation field, study findings will be presented at academic conferences and in rehabilitation-focused journals.

Long lasting inflammation in the body is related to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, which are the two most common causes of death in people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). Individuals with SCI have been reported to have higher levels of inflammation when compared to healthy individuals. Exercise is a well-known method to reduce inflammation; however, people with SCI are often inactive. The main goal of this study is to determine whether a 12-week adaptive exercise program can reduce inflammation in people with SCI. Participants will be randomized to start exercise immediately or after a 12-week delay.

Spinal cord injury (SCI), especially involving the cervical and upper thoracic segments, can significantly compromise respiratory muscle function. Respiratory complications can ensue, including lung collapse and pneumonia, which are the primary cause for mortality in association with traumatic SCI both during the acute and chronic phases post-injury. Lesions at the level of the cervical or high thoracic spinal cord result in respiratory muscle weakness, which is associated with ineffective cough, mucus retention, and mucus plugging. Despite the fact that pulmonary complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this population, there is a paucity of effective interventions in the SCI population known to improve respiratory muscle strength with pharmacologic interventions receiving little to no attention. The current objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of 16 weeks of sustained release oral Albuterol to; (1) improve respiratory muscular strength, and (2) improve cough effectiveness.

The purpose of this study is to learn more about how participants heal from acute spinal cord injury.