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Shock to the system: electrical zaps may help stroke patients stay on their feet
NCT ID NCT04957355
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study is testing whether a device that sends small electrical pulses to leg muscles can help people with chronic stroke improve their balance and walking. Twenty participants will be exposed to slip- and trip-like disturbances on a treadmill, with and without the stimulation. The goal is to see if the stimulation can reduce falls and improve gait in different environments.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new way to help stroke survivors improve their balance and reduce falls.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study with only 20 people. It is testing immediate effects, not long-term benefits, and may not lead to a practical treatment.
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 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2021
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2027
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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18 to 90 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: Age group: 18-90 years. 1. Presence of hemiparesis. 2. Onset of stroke (\> 6 months). 3. Ability to walk independently with or without an assistive device for at least 300 ft. 4. Can understand and communicate in English. 5. Cognitively and behaviorally capable of complying with the regimen (Montreal Cognitive Assessment \> 25/30). Exclusion Criteria: Subjects will not proceed with the test if any of the following occurs at baseline measurement: 1) HR \> 85% of age-predicted maximal heart rate (HRmax) (HRmax = 220 - age), 2) systolic blood pressure (SBP) \> 165 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) \> 110 mmHg during rest, or 3) oxygen saturation (measured by pulse oximeter) \< 95% during rest. 1. Body weight more than 250 lbs. 2. Any neurological condition other than stroke. 3. Any cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, or systemic diagnosis. 4. Recent major surgery (\< 6 months) or hospitalization (\< 3 months). 5. Deep venous thrombosis. 6. Antecedent of cancer. 7. Peripheral nerve injury or neuropathy in the affected limb with motor disability. 8. Spasticity (Ashworth scale \> 2). 9. Uncontrolled high blood pressure/angina. 10. Skin condition not tolerant with FES therapy. 11. Uncontrolled seizure disorder. 12. Botox treatment within the last 5 months. 13. History of epilepsy. 14. Pacemaker users. Excluded or Vulnerable Populations Non-English speaking populations will be excluded as the consent procedures and instructions will be in English.
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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
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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 Illinois at Chicago
RECRUITINGChicago, Illinois, 60612, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- A wearable ankle robot may boost walking recovery after stroke
- Virtual reality rehab aims to bring stroke therapy home
- Which balance training works better after stroke? a trial puts two methods to the test
- Could a cuff and a tingle restore leg strength after stroke?
- Can gentle electrical pulses reawaken hand movement after stroke?
- Can foot sensation predict balance problems in stroke survivors?