NCT05200091

Sensorimotor Integration Underlying Balance Control in Individuals With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Sensorimotor Integration Underlying Balance Control in Individuals With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Assessing Neural Changes After the Injury and Promoting Recovery Through Specific Training

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 36 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The objectives of the study are to evaluate a 4-week mixed training paradigm consisting of explosive strength training and balance perturbation training efficacy on balance control during standing and locomotion, and to understand the mechanisms of neuroplasticity that would improve sensorimotor integration at supraspinal and spinal levels.

Detailed description

After obtaining their consent, participants will undertake evaluations at different times: 1. Assessment 1 week prior to training 2. Training over 4 weeks (nature of the training depends on the group) 3. Assessment 1 week after training 4. Assessment 1 month after training (follow-up) Each assessment will be divided in 2 sessions and data will be collected over 2 days, at one session per day. Days can be consecutive or non-consecutive but will be within a given week. The assessment consists of: * Session 1 (S1; duration: 3h) will include presentation of the Study and obtainment of consent, clinical tests, galvanic vestibular stimulation testing, postural reactions and gait assessment. * Session 2 (S2; duration: 3h) will include muscle strength, short-afference inhibition, paired pulse and trans cranial magnetic stimulation conditioning of H reflex. After the initial assessment, iSCI participants will be separated in 2 groups and will receive combination of explosive strength and balance training or no intervention. The training will span over 12 sessions (3 times per week for 4 weeks) and each training session will last approximately 1h (including effective training and installation periods).

Conditions

• Spinal Cord Injuries

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Combined explosive strength and specific balance training group	Training will consist to perform one hour of combined ankle explosive strength training and specific balance training using randomized perturbations. Explosive strength training: Participants will perform only 2 sets of 3 min (12 contractions for each set) for both lower limbs and both ankle plantar- and dorsiflexion movements. Balance specific training: Participants will be standing, secured by an adjusted harness, which do not support the weight but is strictly there to prevent a fall. They will have online visual feedback of their CoP via an avatar on the screen in front of them. Each training session will consist of 10 sequences of 3 min, including the 5 different conditions: * Forward tilt of base of support; * Backward tilt of base of support; * Translation forward; * Translation backward; * Without moving their feet, participants will have to move their avatar to reach different targets placed around them on the screen, at different distance from the center.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-07-09
• Primary completion: 2022-12-01
• Completion: 2022-12-01
• First posted: 2022-01-20
• Last updated: 2022-01-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada