Sensorimotor Control During Postural Transitions in CP (NCT05384990)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a light electrical stimulation to leg muscles and joints can help people with Cerebral Palsy (CP) maintain balance during everyday tasks such as getting up from a chair and walking. Children and young adults with CP can have trouble with daily tasks such as standing up, sitting down on the chair and turning. The difficulty in maintaining balance sometimes lead to falls. This raises risk of disability in CP as children age into teens and adults. Current treatments are not very effective. In this study, children and young adults will be asked to stand up from a stool, walk in a straight line, turn, walk back and sit down on the stool. Participants will receive electrical stimulation at a very low intensity that cannot be felt to help increase their sensory perception. The investigators will evaluate treatment by testing balance, and other functional measures.
Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (12 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (33 items).
Location: University of Delaware — Newark, Delaware
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistCheck every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).
Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:
- Exclusion Criteria for individuals with CP:
- Scoliosis with primary curve \> 40%
- Spinal fusions extending into pelvis
- Lower Extremity joint instability or dislocation
- Severe tactile hypersensitivity
- Lower extremity botulinum injections in the past 6 months
- Implanted medical device or metal contraindicative of the application of SR
- Pregnancy (self-reported)
- Severe lower extremity spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale score of 4 or greater)
- History of pulmonary disease limiting exercise tolerance (Asthma Control Test screen)
- History of cardiac disease (American Heart Association screen)
- Severely limited range of joint motion/ irreversible muscle contractures
🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- University of Delaware — Newark, Delaware
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.