Exoskeleton walking plus spinal stimulation may help rebuild muscle and bone after paralysis

NCT ID NCT07418398

Not yet recruiting Disease control Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study will test whether combining exoskeleton-assisted walking with a mild electrical stimulation to the spinal cord can improve muscle size and bone strength in people with chronic spinal cord injury. Twenty-four participants who have been injured for more than three years and cannot walk will undergo 108 sessions over 36 weeks. The goal is to see if the combination works better than exoskeleton walking alone.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) combined with exoskeleton-assisted walking
What this could lead to: If successful, this could point toward a way to improve muscle mass and bone strength in people with spinal cord injury, potentially reducing fracture risk and improving quality of life.
What could go wrong: This is a small early-stage study with only 24 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The intervention requires many sessions over 36 weeks, and the stimulation may not produce meaningful benefits.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

spinal cord injury

As listed by the trial registrant

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

SPINAL CORD INJURY

Contacts and locations

Locations

James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY

The Bronx, New York, 10468-3904, United States
Kessler Foundation

West Orange, New Jersey, 07052, United States

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