Electrical Stimulation of Denervated Muscles After Spinal Cord Injury

Clinical Pilot Study of the Effect of Electrical Stimulation of Denervated Muscles After Spinal Cord Injury

In this study the following hypotheses will be tested:

Electrical stimulation of the gluteal muscle (buttocks) leads to

1. an increase in the thickness of the gluteal muscle
2. a decrease in the thickness of the fat of the buttock area
3. a change in the distribution of the middle and maximal seating pressure to a more consistent pressure
4. an increase in well-being of the patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Duration of palsy: minimum two years after traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury
• Level of lesion: T 10 to L 5, AIS A, classified by the American Spinal Injury Association (AISA)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute decubitus in the stimulated area
• Arteriosclerosis
• Less than three months after flap surgery or after decubitus in the stimulated area
• Infections or skin eczema in the stimulated area