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Electrical muscle stimulation during treadmill walking for children with cerebral palsy

Tests electrical muscle stimulation while walking on a treadmill in children with cerebral palsy.

Key facts

Who runs it
University of Nebraska
Where
Omaha, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Registry title
Evaluating the Effects of an Electrical Stimulator on Improving the Walking Ability of Children With Cerebral Palsy
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
65 people, planned
Started
15 Jun 2026
Expected to end
Jul 2029
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)
Record updated
23 October 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for children aged 7-18 with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy who can walk. It also takes healthy adults aged 20 to 40 as a comparison group. Both groups walk on a treadmill with gentle electrical muscle stimulation.

Age
Children with cerebral palsy: 7-18. Healthy adults: 20 to 40.
Sex
All sexes can join.
Disease stage
Spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (stiff muscles mainly in both legs). GMFCS level I-III: able to walk with or without walking aids. Crouch, equinus (toe walking) or jump gait. Hip socket covering: MIGR < 40%. At least 0° passive ankle bending upward.
Earlier treatment
Children cannot join if they had leg botulinum injections in the past 6 mo, or leg surgery or serious injury within 1 yr. Healthy adults cannot join after leg surgery within the past 3 months.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Athetoid or ataxic cerebral palsy, or other nerve or muscle-bone disorders
  • Scoliosis with curve > 49%, spinal fusion into the pelvis, or unstable or dislocated leg joints
  • Severe leg stiffness (Modified Ashworth Scale 4 or greater) or fixed joint tightness beyond set limits
  • Implanted device that rules out electrical stimulation, pregnancy, lung or heart disease
  • Healthy adults: chronic illness, developmental disorders such as autism or ADHD, or major emotional issues

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 37 criteriaShow less

Other criteria

  • *Inclusion Criteria*
  • CP Group:
  • Age 7-18
  • Diagnosis of spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP)
  • GMFCS level I-III (be able to walk with or without assistive devices)
  • MIGR < 40% femoral head covering in acetabulum
  • Crouch, equinus, or jump gait
  • At least 0° passive dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM)
  • Sufficient visuoperceptual, cognitive, and communication skills
  • Seizure-free or well-controlled seizures
  • No other neurological or musculoskeletal disorders (e.g. dystonia, severe scoliosis, hip instability
  • Ability to travel to the University of Nebraska at Omaha two times
  • Ability to communicate pain or discomfort
  • Ability to obtain child assent and obtain parent/guardian consent; Healthy adults (control) group:
  • Adults aged 20 to 40
  • Adults with good physical health
  • Adults with the ability to follow verbal instructions
  • Adults with the ability to walk on a treadmill for 15 minutes
  • No orthopedic surgery on the lower limb within the past 3 months; *Exclusion Criteria*; CP Group:
  • Diagnosis of athetoid or ataxic cerebral palsy (CP)
  • Scoliosis with primary curve > 49%
  • Spinal fusions extending into the pelvis
  • Lower Extremity (LE) joint instability or dislocation
  • Severe tactile hypersensitivity
  • LE botulinum injections in the past 6 mo
  • Implanted medical device contraindicative of functional electrical stimulation (FES)
  • Pregnancy
  • Severe LE 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, AH,) screen)
  • Excessive LE joint pain during walking
  • Severely limited range of joint motion/ irreversible muscle contractures, i.e.> 10° knee flexion, >15° hip flexion contractures, or >5° plantarflexion contractures
  • LE surgery or significant injury within 1 yr; Healthy adults (control) group:
  • Adults with any chronic illnesses or medical conditions that could impact their health
  • Adults with significant behavioral or emotional issues that could indicate developmental disorders or psychological conditions
  • Adults with diagnosed developmental disorders (e.g., autism, ADHD, learning disabilities)
  • Adults with surgery on their lower limb within the past 3 months

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

  • Are you between 7 and 40 years old?

Where in United States

  • University of Nebraska at Omaha, Biomechanics Research BuildingOmaha, United StatesContact: Ahad Behboodi, PhDTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The goal of this study is to see if gentle electrical stimulation can help children with cerebral palsy (CP) walk more easily. This stimulation, called neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), sends small pulses to muscles to help them activate. Researchers will test different ways of using NMES to find out which method works best.

Read full original descriptionShow less

Participants will walk on a treadmill at a comfortable speed while NMES is applied to leg muscles. The study will compare different stimulation settings to see which one helps the most.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Cerebral Palsy GroupTreatment being tested

    The Cerebral Palsy Group (CP), intervention group, will receive a low power electrical stimulation, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), on different combination of their lower limb muscles while walking on the treadmill.

    Treatment: Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)

  • Healthy Adults GroupExisting treatment, for comparison

    The Healthy Adults Group (HA) will receive a similar low power electrical stimulation, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), as that received by the Cerebral Palsy Group. However, they will will only receive NMES in specific muscle groups and the only variable across conditions will be the power of stimulation.

    Treatment: Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Exploring the Effects of Multi-Joint Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Training Gait of Children With Cerebral Palsy
Plain-language title
Electrical muscle stimulation during treadmill walking for children with cerebral palsyGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Fit questions
Built from NCT06811545, who can take part
Record updated
23 October 2026