Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
Paradigms of Lower Extremity Electrical Stimulation Training After Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: February 1, 2018
Percutaneous spinal stimulation to enhance gait and alleviate functional impairments in multiple sclerosis: A pilot
Omid Jahanian, Anders J Asp, Megan L Gill
1Assistive and Restorative Technology Laboratory, Rehabilitation Medicine Research Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility and potential efficacy of percutaneous spinal stimulation (epidural stimulation, ES) combined with task-specific training to reduce spasticity and improve gait and balance in individuals with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods:
Two men with progressive MS (EDSS 6.5) underwent ES lead implantation targeting the lower spinal cord, followed by one month of rehabilitation involving 12 ES-assisted training sessions. Assessments included instrumented gait analysis, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), pendulum test, and static balance testing performed at baseline, and at end of the study with ES-Off and ES-On conditions.
Results:
Participant 1, with spastic hemiparetic gait, demonstrated improved lower extremity joint kinematics and muscle activation during gait, reduced knee extensor spasticity, and enhanced functional movement patterns with ES-On. Participant 2, with significant paraparesis and minimal spasticity, showed limited gait changes but experienced marked improvements in static balance, particularly under eyes-closed conditions. No adverse events were reported.
Conclusion:
This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility and tolerability of ES paired with task-specific training in progressive MS. Participant-specific responses were observed, including improvements in gait kinematics, neuromuscular activation, spasticity, or balance; however, spatiotemporal gait parameters did not improve. These preliminary findings highlight response heterogeneity and the need for individualized ES parameter tuning. Trial registry name and URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06019611.
