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Arm-crank training that lengthens muscles versus usual strength training after spinal cord injury

Compares two kinds of strength training in people rehabilitating from a spinal cord injury.

Key facts

Who runs it
Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil
Where
Nottwil, SwitzerlandSee the site
Trial code
Registry title
The Effects of Eccentric Compared to Standard Strength Training in Primary Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
Status
Not yet recruiting
People taking part
20 people, planned
Starts
Dec 2026
Expected to end
Dec 2028
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Eccentric (KREHA) training
  • Standard clinical routine strength (STAN) training
Record updated
28 September 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 adults in their first rehabilitation after a spinal cord injury who use a wheelchair at home. It compares eccentric arm-crank training with standard strength training.

Age
18 years or older.
Sex
All sexes can join.
Disease stage
Spinal cord injury caused by an accident or a disease, during first rehabilitation at the study center. People must depend on a wheelchair in daily life (score 0-2 in the SCIM part "Mobility in the house").
Earlier treatment
People must take part in the routine strength training program of first rehabilitation at the study center. This usually starts around one month after the injury.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Inflammatory or neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis or Guillain-Barré syndrome.
  • Other health problems that may get in the way of the study, or reasons the training cannot be done.
  • Reasons an MRI scan cannot be done, such as magnetic metal parts or electronic implants like pacemakers.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Not passing the sports medical check, or not enough arm strength (biceps/triceps) for arm-crank training.

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 10 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • 18 years or older
  • informed consent as confirmed per signature
  • traumatic or disease-related SCI
  • participating in the routine strength training program during primary SCI rehabilitation at the study center (generally this is initiated around one month after SCI onset)
  • wheelchair dependency during activities of daily living, defined by a score of 0-2 in the SCIM subsection regarding "Mobility in the house"
  • passed sports medical assessment and having sufficient biceps/triceps function to perform arm-crank training, as determined by an experienced sports medicine physician

Who cannot take part

  • MRI contraindications (magnetic metal parts or electronic implants such as pacemakers in the body)
  • inflammatory or neurodegenerative diseases (including multiple sclerosis or Guillain-Barré syndrome)
  • comorbidities or other health issues that may interfere with study participation, inability or contraindications to undergo the investigated intervention
  • pregnancy (anamnestic)

Where in Switzerland

  • Swiss Paraplegic CentreNottwil, SwitzerlandContact: Anneke Hertig-Godeschalk, PhDNot yet recruiting

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the effects of eccentric arm-crank (KREHA) training compared to standard clinical routine strength (STAN) training in individuals undergoing primary spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation.

Read full original descriptionShow less

The main questions this trail aims to answer are:

* what are the effects of the training on upper body strength, aerobic performance, muscle volume, functional independence, and health-related quality of life? * is the KREHA training feasible to implement into the rehabilitation routine?

Participants will:

* perform either 20 KREHA sessions or 20 STAN sessions within 12 weeks * perform a test battery to collect data on training effects before (pretest) and after (posttest) the study intervention

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Eccentric arm-crank (KREHA) trainingTreatment being tested

    The eccentric training intervention consists of 20 training sessions performed on a symmetric arm-crank (Krafttraining mittels exzentrischer Handkurbel, KREHA) device. The training sessions have a duration of approximately 30 min and will be completed within twelve weeks, with a maximum of three sessions per week.

    Treatment: Eccentric (KREHA) training

  • Standard clinical routine strength (STAN) trainingExisting treatment, for comparison

    The standard strength training intervention consists of a total of 20 training sessions at the gym of the study center, performed following clinical routine procedures. The training sessions have a duration of approximately 60 min and will be completed within twelve weeks, with around three sessions per week.

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
The Effects of Eccentric Compared to Standard Strength Training in Primary Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation - a Matched-Pair Randomized Controlled Trial
Plain-language title
Arm-crank training that lengthens muscles versus usual strength training after spinal cord injuryGenerated 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.
Record updated
28 September 2026