AAN Robotic Therapy in SCI

Twenty adults with chronic incomplete SCI (according to American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) C-D level) will be recruited from TIRR and from the Houston area.

Inclusion criteria

• Providing written informed consent prior to any study related procedures;
• Age between 18-75 years;
• Diagnosis of chronic complete or incomplete spinal cord injury as defined by the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment scale classification and at least for 6 months;
• Not being involved in any specific exercise program (e.g., NMES, FES) within the previous 3 months;
• No planned alteration in upper-extremity therapy or medication for muscle tone during the course of the study;
• Eligibility for standard rehabilitation at the time of enrollment (i.e., absence medical comorbidities that would prevent standard rehabilitation);
• No condition (e.g., severe arthritis, extreme shoulder pain) that would interfere with valid administration of the measures or with interpreting motor testing;

Exclusion criteria

Subjects will be excluded if they have:

• Any joint contracture or severe spasticity in the affected upper extremity, as measured by a Modified Ashworth Score > than 3 out of 4;
• Subject who cannot provide self-transportation to the study location.