Belly zaps may speed up bathroom time for spinal injury patients

NCT ID NCT04307303

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested whether using a device that electrically stimulates the abdominal muscles can help people with spinal cord injury manage their bowel movements more quickly and comfortably. 36 adults with injuries at or above T12 were randomly assigned to receive real or low-dose (sham) stimulation for 12 weeks. Participants tracked bowel time and completed quality-of-life questionnaires. The goal was to see if this approach could reduce constipation and improve daily bowel care.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: abdominal functional electrical stimulation (ABFES) device
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a non-drug way to reduce bowel management time and improve quality of life for people with spinal cord injury.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early proof-of-principle study with only 36 participants. Results may not apply to everyone, and the benefit over sham stimulation is uncertain.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

neurogenic bowel spinal cord injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

NEUROGENIC BOWEL

Contacts and locations

Locations

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust

Salisbury, SP2 9BJ, United Kingdom

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