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Spinal Cord Injury Research

The ultimate goal of spinal cord injury research at Kessler Foundation is to develop ways for individuals with SCI to fully restore their pre-injury levels of function, activity, and quality of life.

Boosting Mental Processing Speed after Spinal Cord Injury

This study tests whether a cognitive training program can improve the speed at which people with acute traumatic spinal cord injury process information.

 

This study is fully remote and does not require any in-person visits.

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Targeted Epidural Stimulation for Recovery of Nervous System Function, Movement, and Standing after Severe SCI

This study evaluates the effects of epidural stimulation of the spinal cord on cardiovascular (blood pressure regulation) function, voluntary movement of the legs and trunk, and standing/weight bearing in individuals with spinal cord injury.

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Nerve Stimulation for Upper Extremity Recovery in Chronic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Study seeks to understand how the combination of upper extremity activity-based recovery training (UE-ABRT) and targeted spinal cord transcutaneous (through the skin) stimulation can improve participants’ ability to use their hand, arms, and trunk.

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Blood Pressure Modulation with Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

Study examines the use of spinal stimulation applied through the skin (referred to as transcutaneous spinal stimulation) in treating orthostatic hypotension (a drop in blood pressure when moving from lying flat on your back to an upright position) in individuals with a spinal cord injury.

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Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy on Spasticity in SCI

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new treatment for spasticity called extracorporeal shockwave therapy.

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Identification of New Biomarkers for Determining Risk of Lower Extremity Fracture during Exoskeleton-assisted Ambulation

The purpose of this study is to determine the forces on the hips, knees, and ankle joints while participating in exoskeleton-assisted sit-to-stand training protocol as well as exoskeleton-assisted walking (EAW) in the ReWalk, Indego, and Ekso devices.

 

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Scale Up Trial of Project WOWII to Increase Exercise Among People with Spinal Cord Injury

The purpose of this study is to look at the usefulness of an internet program called Workout on Wheels (WOWII) to promote exercise and health for people with chronic SCI.

This study is completely remote and does not require in-person visits. 

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Treatment of Bone Loss in Persons with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

The purpose of this study is to determine the usefulness of taking Romosozumab for 1 year compared to a placebo (salt solution) followed by 1 year of Denosumab in those who had a spinal cord injury longer than 3 years.

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Prevention of Bone Loss in Persons with Subacute Spinal Cord Injury

The purpose of this study is to compare Romosozumab for 12 months followed by Denosumab for 12 months vs. 24 months of Denosumab in persons with spinal cord injury less than 6 months prior to enrollment.

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Brain Activity in People with Chronic Neuropathic Pain and SCI

The purpose of this research study is to learn more about how patterns of brain activity change during different thinking tasks and how these changes relate to the intensity and unpleasantness of the neuropathic pain experienced. 

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Comparing Drug Treatments for Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity in SCI

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness and safety of "Mirabegron" compared to "Oxybutynin IR" for a condition called neurogenic detrusor overactivity in individuals with SCI .

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Upper Extremity/Treadmill/Exoskeleton Training and Spinal Cord Stimulation in SCI

The purpose of this research is to examine the effectiveness of back or spine stimulation while walking on a treadmill or walking over ground using an exoskeleton or on muscle activation while sitting on a chair.

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Improving SCI Rehab Interventions by Retraining the Brain in SCI Participants

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether combining training of the affected upper limbs in patients with SCI with a noninvasive technique of brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve training outcomes.

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Equity and Quality in Assistive Technology for Individuals with SCI (EQUATE)

Researchers are looking at the assistive technology used by individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and those with diagnoses that affect the spinal cord.

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Cortical Control of Walking: Brain Plasticity Following Exoskeleton Training in Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (iSCI)

In this pilot study, we want to study the neural mechanism of walking in able-bodied subjects and iSCI subjects who have some control of muscles below the level of injury (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) D).

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Ultrasound-Guided Treatments for Chronic Shoulder Pain in Wheelchair Users with Spinal Cord Injury

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two different treatments for chronic shoulder pain in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

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