Could a wearable nerve stimulator help MS patients walk more freely?
NCT ID NCT07706114
First seen Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Sep 16, 2026 · Updated 5 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
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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
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About 70 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2030
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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22 to 75 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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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
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University of California San Francisco, Weill Institute for Neurosciences
San Francisco, California, 94158, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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