Patients will be instructed by a physical therapist on how to perform a home stretching protocol 3 times per week for 3 months. The stretching will be monitored via telephone by the study coordinator. This will be an active control arm. After 3 months the patients will be crossed over to Lokomat training for an additional 3 months. This training will be the same as given to the individuals originally randomized to the Lokomat treatment intervention.

An assessment of percent body fat as determined by DXA analysis.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

DXA measurement of total lean muscle mass.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

DXA assessment of bone mineral content.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

A functional capacity test to evaluate walking distance during a 6-minute time frame.

This measure was only done on those participants that were able to walk for 6 minutes, which represented 9 in the Lokomat training group out of the 12 total randomized to Lokomat training, and 5 out of the 6 randomized to the home stretching group.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

A functional capacity test to measure speed.

This measure was only done on those participants that were able to walk, which represented 9 in the Lokomat training group out of the 12 total randomized to Lokomat training, and 5 out of the 6 who were randomized to home stretching.

Note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

The step activity monitor measures the total steps taken by an individual over a 48 hour time frame in the home environment.

This measure was only done on those participants that were able to walk in the community and did not use a wheelchair for community mobility, which represented 7 in the Lokomat training group out of the 12 total randomized to Lokomat training and 5 out of 6 of the people randomized to home stretching.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

Total of all reporting groups

The motor score assigned to the five key bi-lateral lower extremity muscle groups with values ranging from 0 (total paralysis) to 5 (normal) function for each muscle. Because 10 muscles are being tested (5 in each leg), the total possible motor score is 50.

Body mass was determined from a DXA (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) assessment prior to the 3-month intervention.

American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale is used to grade the degree of sensory & motor impairment.

ASIA impairment scale C- motor function preserved below the neurological level with > half of the key muscles below the neurological level displaying a grade of less than 3 on a 5-pt scale.

ASIA impairment scale D- motor function is preserved below the neurological level with at least half of the key muscles below the neurological level displaying a grade of 3 or more on the 5-pt scale.

for neurological level see: http://asia-spinalinjury.org/elearning/ASIA\_ISCOS\_high.pdf

Tetraplegia- refers to impairment or loss of function in the cervical region with an effect to the upper and lower extremity

Paraplegia- impairment or loss of function to the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral regions with an effect to the lower extremity

Patients will participate in a home stretching program for 3 months.

Home stretching protocol : Patients will be instructed by a physical therapist on how to perform a home stretching protocol 3 times per week for 3 months. The stretching will be monitored via telephone by the study coordinator. This will be an active control arm.

The stretching group will cross-over to the exercise intervention after completion of the 3-month home-base phase. At that time, they will receive an exercise treatment in the Lokomat device 3 times per week for 3 months. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes.

DXA assessment of total body mass.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

An assessment of percent body fat as determined by DXA analysis.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

Peak oxygen consumption during arm cycle ergometry as a measure of cardiovascular fitness.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

DXA measurement of total lean muscle mass.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

DXA assessment of bone mineral content.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

A functional capacity test to evaluate walking distance during a 6-minute time frame.

This measure was only done on those participants that were able to walk for 6 minutes, which represented 9 in the Lokomat training group out of the 12 total randomized to Lokomat training, and 5 out of the 6 randomized to the home stretching group.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

A functional capacity test to measure speed.

This measure was only done on those participants that were able to walk, which represented 9 in the Lokomat training group out of the 12 total randomized to Lokomat training, and 5 out of the 6 who were randomized to home stretching.

Note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

The step activity monitor measures the total steps taken by an individual over a 48 hour time frame in the home environment.

This measure was only done on those participants that were able to walk in the community and did not use a wheelchair for community mobility, which represented 7 in the Lokomat training group out of the 12 total randomized to Lokomat training and 5 out of 6 of the people randomized to home stretching.

Please note that at times the home stretching group would have a second set of measurements at 3 months - one post the 3 month time interval and one later in the 3rd month if there was some delay in initiating the crossover to Lokomat training. This sometimes occurred if the time it would take to complete all of the required studies (e.g. DXA, other secondary measures) was prolonged because of logistical issues.

Patients will participate in a home stretching program for 3 months.

Home stretching protocol : Patients will be instructed by a physical therapist on how to perform a home stretching protocol 3 times per week for 3 months. The stretching will be monitored via telephone by the study coordinator. This will be an active control arm.This group will switch to the 3-month robotic intervention after completing the home-based training program.

One participant experienced several urinary tract infections during the course of the study.

The participant experienced a bruise to the sternum and groin regions on 2 separate visits

Several participants experienced general skeletal muscle, back and knee pain

The participant observed blood in his urine. The participant was referred to his urologist for evaluation. This incident did not affect the participant's involvement in the training intervention.

The participant began to experience dizziness and light-headed symptoms prior to a training intervention. A low blood pressure response may have been factor for this event

The participant reported a 20 pound with loss during a 3-4 month time frame. The participant was instructed to schedule an appointment with his primary care physician for a complete evaluation.

The participant reported ankle swelling following a 45-minute robotic training session. The research medical staff evaluated the problem and cleared the participant to continue training with minimal limitations to the exercise intensity and duration.