Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42290217›Full record

Trial reportNeurorehabilitation and neural repair2026

Functional Electrical Stimulation Combined With Reactive Balance Training for Individuals With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomised Clinical Trial.

Matthew G Heffernan, Katherine Chan, Jonguk Lee, Lovisa Cheung, Elizabeth L Inness, Kei Masani, Kristin E Musselman

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Neurorehabilitation and neural repair, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Matthew G HeffernanRehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
Katherine ChanKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, ON, Canada.
Jonguk LeeKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, ON, Canada.
Lovisa CheungRehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
Elizabeth L InnessRehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
Kei MasaniKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-0207-3241
Kristin E MusselmanKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-8336-8211

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIndividuals with motor incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) have difficulty eliciting reactive steps when balance is lost, increasing fall risk. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the common fibular nerve elicits a flexor withdrawal response, potentially assisting reactive stepping. Combining reactive balance training with FES (Reactive Balance Training [RBT] + FES) may enhance reactive balance control. This study compared the efficacy of RBT + FES to RBT alone in individuals with chronic, motor iSCI.

methodsTwenty-two individuals (63.9 ± 14.8 years; 3.8 ± 2.8 years post-injury) were randomly assigned to RBT + FES or RBT alone. They completed 18 1-hour training sessions over 6 weeks. Outcome measures were assessed pre-, immediately post- and 6 months post-intervention, and included the behavioural response of the Lean-and-Release test (single-step, 2-step, ≥3-step, or fall) and clinical measures of balance, balance confidence, fall concern, lower limb strength, and proprioception of the ankle. A 2-way mixed analysis of variance assessed group differences over time. Fall incidence was monitored via an online survey for 6 months following training.

resultsSignificant improvements over time were observed for single-step and fall responses during the Lean-and-Release test, and on all clinical outcomes ( DISCUSSION: Both RBT + FES and RBT alone led to significant improvements in reactive stepping ability, balance control, balance confidence, fall concern, and lower limb strength. However, the FES protocol applied in this study did not provide additional benefit.

Indexed as

Electric Stimulation TherapyExercise TherapyPostural BalanceSpinal Cord InjuriesAccidental FallsAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProprioceptionTreatment Outcomeaccidental fallsbalance recoveryelectric stimulationpostural balancepostural controlspinal cord injury

Identifiers

PMID42290217
PMCPMC13675587

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.