BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) commonly results in substantial motor impairments, particularly in standing and walking abilities, due to the disruption of the sensory-motor circuits. Conventional rehabilitation approaches have limited effectiveness in restoring motor function. The present study investigates the combined effects of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) and resistance training (RT) on improving motor function in patients with motor-incomplete SCI. Furthermore, it examines the underlying mechanisms of these improvements through the use of advanced neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques. METHODS: This open-label, single-blind, randomized controlled trial will be conducted over 28 days at Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital. A total of 56 participants with motor-incomplete SCI will be randomly assigned to two groups: the intervention group (tSCS + RT) and the control group (RT only). The intervention group will receive tSCS in combination with RT 3 times per week for 4 weeks, while the control group will undergo RT without tSCS. Primary outcomes will include peak torque measurements and secondary outcomes will involve motor functions and multimodal neurofunctional metrics. Data will be analyzed to evaluate the efficacy of the combined treatment in improving lower limb motor function. DISCUSSION: The novel combination of tSCS and RT aims to enhance motor function by providing dual-channel neuromodulation that targets both sensory and motor pathways. The results of this study could inform future therapeutic strategies and the broader clinical application of neuromodulation technologies in spinal cord injury rehabilitation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was prospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, ChiCTR2400089603, registered on September 11, 2024, https://www.chictr.org.cn.
Chen et al. (Wed,) studied this question.