tSCS and AR on Pain and Balance in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Combined Effects of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation (tSCS) and Augmented Reality (AR) Training on Pain and Balance in Diabetic Neuropathy Patients.

tSCS and AR-based training have individually shown benefits in neuromotor rehabilitation; no study to date has evaluated their combined effects on pain, balance, lower-limb strength, retention, and vibration sense in diabetic neuropathy. The rationale for combining them lies in their complementary mechanisms: tSCS at 30 Hz activates large-diameter Aβ afferents, inhibiting nociceptive input, enhancing spinal excitability, and facilitating motor activation.

In Pakistan, 26.3% of the population is affected, and DN impacts about 40% of cases, with early signs reducing function. (9-11) Standard care includes glycemic control, medications like duloxetine and pregabalin, topical agents, and modalities such as TENS.

Alongside pain, lower-limb strength declines due to motor axonal degeneration and prolonged disuse, (1) limiting mobility and increasing the risk of falls. Balance impairments are frequent in DN and result from compromised proprioceptive input and impaired postural control mechanisms; (4) these deficits are exacerbated by pain-related inactivity and muscular weakness.

Augmented reality (AR) based rehabilitation delivers multisensory feedback, such as visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive inputs, during interactive, task-specific training. It enhances sensorimotor coordination, dynamic postural stability, and proprioceptive reweighting. AR training can improve balance responses, promote lower-limb engagement, and reinforce accurate proprioceptive input.

The tSCS enabled stepping in individuals with complete motor loss, confirming its impact on lower-limb functional recovery. Additionally, this stimulation frequency targets mechano-sensory pathways associated with vibration sense and is believed to support retention of sensorimotor gains through repeated activation of neuroplastic mechanisms at the spinal and cortical levels.

Inclusion Criteria:

• More than or equals to 4 score on Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questionnaire
• More than or equals to 6 Hz at Neurothesiometer
• More than or equals to 4 score on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cognitively compromised (MOCA ≤ 26/30)
• Metallic implants at skull
• Shunting
• Skin allergy