Utility and Feasibility of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation for Patients With Incomplete SCI in Therapeutic Settings: A Review of Topic.
Rebecca Martin
PMID 36188824WHAT IT FOUND
Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation was reported as a feasible add-on to intensive training after incomplete spinal cord injury.
Reviewed studies described improved walking, standing, and hand function, but stimulation settings and lasting benefit remain unsettled.
Key findings
01Locomotor training plus transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation improved walking speed and symmetry, while the control group did not.
02The review associated transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation with improved standing control, walking, and upper-limb function.
03Stimulation parameters lack consensus, and few studies used commercially available stimulators.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
This is a narrative review, not a new trial. Evidence comes from case reports, case series, and controlled comparisons. It cannot show how well transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation works for a typical patient. Stimulation parameters, electrode placement, training intensity, and outcomes varied across studies. This makes comparisons difficult. Several studies reported improvements only during stimulation. Others did not show lasting change after stimulation stopped. The review excluded autonomic and non-voluntary outcomes. It does not address bladder, bowel, blood pressure, or pain effects. Few studies used commercially available stimulators, so real-world feasibility is uncertain.
Declared interests
One author reported research support from the Orokawa Foundation and Niche BioMedical.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation alone improves walking or hand function. The review describes it as an adjunct to training, and the contribution of stimulation cannot be separated from the training or other concurrent interventions.