Feasibility of overnight electrical stimulation-induced muscle activation in people with a spinal cord injury. A Pilot study

This study investigated whether using electrical stimulation overnight is a doable way to activate muscles in the legs of people with spinal cord injuries. The goal was to see if it's possible to make the muscles contract for 8 hours overnight using special shorts with built-in electrodes. The researchers wanted to find out if the muscles would still contract after 8 hours, if the electrical stimulation would disturb sleep, and if the specially designed shorts were easy and safe to use in bed. The study found that the electrical stimulation did cause the muscles to contract, although they did get tired. It also showed that the electrical stimulation didn't disturb sleep and might even improve it. The participants found the shorts easy to use.

• 1
  After 8 hours of electrical stimulation, muscles still contracted, indicating the method's feasibility for prolonged use.
• 2
  Participants reported improved sleep quality after the electrical stimulation intervention compared to a period without it.
• 3
  The ES-shorts were reported to be user-friendly, with most participants willing to use them in the future if positive effects are proven.