The aim of this study is to understand what happens to muscle and bone in spinal cord injured males with low testosterone levels after 5 months of stand training with body weight support (BWS) and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). TRT is administered in the form of a skin gel dispensed from a pump containing testosterone and by using electrical stimulation (ES).
Actively Recruiting
No
Duration
Study participation lasts a total of 38 weeks including: 3 weeks of pre-testing evaluations, 20 weeks of intervention training, and 3 weeks of post-evaluation. There is also a 3 month follow-up for some of the evaluation measures.
Inclusion Criteria
- Males aged 18-58 years.
- Level of injury is C5-T10 and impairment grade of A, B, or C according to ASIA impairment scales.
- Must be wheelchair reliant for more than 75% of the time.
- Must have low testosterone levels (350ng/dL or below) as determined by a blood test completed during the screening portion of the study.
- Must be able to tolerate electrical stimulation and must show visible muscle contraction to an electrical stimulus.
Compensation
$50 after every 5 sessions of training.
IRB Number:
D-841-14
Research Coordinator
