New Spinal Implant Could Help Paraplegics Use Paralyzed Leg Muscles

Scientists in the UK have developed an implantable muscle stimulator that can be implanted in the spine and used to allow paraplegics to exercise their leg muscles. The implant has been developed by researchers at the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and is believed to be the first device that is so small it can be implanted directly into the spinal canal. The device is called the Active Book, and announcement of its development has been hailed by the Universities and Science Minister in the UK. The implant includes electrodes and a muscle stimulator, allowing the user to stimulate more leg muscles. A person with a spinal cord injury who has been implanted with this device can exercise his leg muscles, and this can help him perform activities that he would not have been able to perform earlier, like rowing or cycling. The implant is the size of a child's fingernail, allowing it to be inserted easily into the spinal canal. In fact, it's the size of the device and the fact that it can be used to stimulate a variety of groups of muscles that set it apart from other spinal devices that are currently available. This is the first time that researchers have experimented with stimulation of leg muscles using implantable devices. This has traditionally been done by attaching electrodes to the legs from the outside, and using an external stimulator to trigger the electrodes. With this new device however, there's potential for stimulating large groups of leg muscles, because more than one device can be implanted into the spinal canal. California spinal cord injury lawyers are excited that this new device has great potential for allowing maximum leg movement, because the small size allows more devices to be inserted in the spinal canal. Continue reading "New Spinal Implant Could Help Paraplegics Use Paralyzed Leg Muscles"

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