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Could a wearable nerve stimulator help MS patients walk more freely?

NCT ID NCT07706114

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This trial tests a wearable device that uses mild electrical pulses to stimulate the leg muscles of people with multiple sclerosis who have foot drop. The goal is to see if using the device for several months improves walking quality, physical activity, and participation in daily life compared to a sham device. Seventy adults with MS will be randomly assigned to receive real stimulation or a placebo for four months, then all will receive real stimulation for another four months, followed by a month without the device to check for lasting effects.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
functional electrical stimulation (FES) device worn on the weaker leg
What this could lead to
If effective, FES could become a standard, accessible tool to help people with MS walk better and engage more in daily life.
What could go wrong
This is a mid-sized early-stage trial (70 people) comparing FES to a sham device, so results may not apply broadly. Long-term benefits and real-world adoption remain uncertain.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 70 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Oct 2030

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

22 to 75 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion criteria: * Diagnosis of MS (relapsing or progressive) by 2017 McDonald Criteria79 * Ages 22-75 years old * EDSS 2 - 6.5 (wide range of impairment, 6.5 = ambulation requires walker or 2 canes) * ≥ 1/5 (and \<5/5 on manual muscle test) of affected leg muscles * Any MS therapy, or no disease modifying treatment. * Technological criteria: availability of Wi-Fi in the home or workspace for connectivity. Exclusion criteria: * Cognitive, dexterity or visual impairment that, in the opinion of the study neurologist (RB), would put the participant at risk or limit their ability to comply with the study protocol. * Inability to provide informed consent * FES use in the last 6 months * Musculoskeletal / cardiovascular comorbidities that in the opinion of the study physical therapists (VB, JB), places the patient at risk. * Recent (last 30 days) relapse affecting gait * \>2/4 on the Ashworth scale (3= passive movement difficult)

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

multiple sclerosis

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Impaired gait Multiple sclerosis

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of California San Francisco, Weill Institute for Neurosciences

    San Francisco, California, 94158, United States

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