Non‑invasive spinal stimulation to reduce spasms, pain, and improve movement after spinal cord injury
Official title: Calibrating Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation for Spasticity, Pain, and Motor Function in SCI
Funded at Shepherd Center · NIH-11322017 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses gentle electrical pulses over the skin of the spine to reduce muscle spasms, ease neuropathic pain, and help movement for people with spinal cord injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Shepherd Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 27, 2021 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $387,971 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD101812-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11322017 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people living with spinal cord injury who experience troublesome spasticity, neuropathic pain, or difficulty with motor function and who can attend in‑person sessions.
✕Less likely to help
People without spinal cord injury, those with implanted electronic devices like pacemakers, unstable medical conditions, or those whose spasticity and pain are already well controlled may not benefit or may be ineligible.
What this research studies
If you join, clinicians will place electrodes on your skin over the spine and slowly find the stimulation settings that work best for your body. You will attend multiple in‑person sessions where researchers will record how your spasms, pain, and movement change with different settings and tasks. The team will aim to fine‑tune (calibrate) stimulation so it targets the spinal circuits that control spasticity, pain, and motor function while avoiding side effects. Results will be compared across participants to learn which settings and approaches are most helpful.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lessen spasticity and neuropathic pain and improve mobility, possibly reducing the need for sedating antispasmodic medications.
How similar studies have gone: Early clinical work with non‑invasive and epidural spinal stimulation has shown promising reductions in spasticity, pain, and improvements in movement in small groups, but methods for individualized calibration are still being refined.
Where this research is happening
-
Shepherd Center
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Field-Fote, Edelle C. — Shepherd Center
- Study coordinator: Field-Fote, Edelle C.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Wearable exoskeleton that provides on-demand leg stretching for people with spasticity
This project offers a wearable robotic device that provides on-demand leg stretching to help people with spasticity from spinal cord injury or brain injury reduce spasms and improve movement.
-
Non-invasive spinal stimulation to help kids with cerebral palsy move and reduce stiffness
This study tests a non-invasive spinal stimulation plus treadmill training to reduce spasticity and improve walking in children with cerebral palsy.
-
Shockwave therapy to help reduce spasticity after spinal cord injury
A randomized, sham-controlled trial will test whether extracorporeal shockwave therapy can lessen muscle tightness in people with spinal cord injuries.
-
Cerebellum-targeted deep brain stimulation for severe movement problems and spasticity in cerebral palsy
This project tests whether implanted electrodes that stimulate a cerebellar motor area can reduce severe involuntary movements and muscle tightness in children and young adults with cerebral palsy.
-
Using non-invasive stimulation to reduce spasticity and improve movement after spinal cord injury
This study is looking at how gentle spinal cord stimulation can help people with spinal cord injuries feel less stiffness and regain better movement, making it a friendly option for improving recovery.
-
Using brain stimulation to improve movement in children with cerebral palsy
This study is looking at how a special treatment called deep brain stimulation can help kids and young adults with cerebral palsy by improving their movement and reducing stiffness, and we're inviting ten participants to see if this approach makes a difference for them.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.