Electrical Stimulation and Motor Function Rehabilitation in Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review

Spinal cord injuries often lead to motor impairments, affecting the quality of life. Electrical stimulation, including epidural, transcutaneous, and functional types, shows promise in helping patients recover motor function. Epidural stimulation applies electrical currents directly to the spinal cord to activate motor circuits. Transcutaneous stimulation uses surface electrodes to stimulate peripheral nerves. Functional stimulation synchronizes muscle activation to produce functional movements. These techniques aim to improve walking, standing, trunk stability, and upper extremity functionality in patients with spinal cord injuries. Further research is needed to refine these techniques and enhance rehabilitation results.

• 1
  Epidural electrical stimulation (eSCS) shows promise in eliciting significant improvements in motor function, especially for severe SCI.
• 2
  Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (tSCS) demonstrates potential benefits, especially in pain management and muscle activation.
• 3
  Functional electrical stimulation (FES) shows promise in promoting task-specific motor training and facilitating functional movement patterns.