Stimulating Postural Control to Augment Rehabilitation After Cerebral Stroke (SPARC): a Pilot Trial
Key facts
- Where
- Toronto, CanadaSee the site
Where in Canada
- KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health NetworkToronto, CanadaTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- University Health Network, Toronto
- Trial code
- NCT06987682
- Record updated
- 23 March 2026
- Original description
People living with stroke have a high risk of falling and this risk increases as mobility improves over the first year post-stroke. Despite the high number of falls, there is a lack of interventions to prevent falls after stroke. One possible solution is to alter nerve activity through delivery of a stimulus, such as electrical stimulation. The purpose of this study is to describe and compare clinical, biomechanical and nerve-related outcomes between individuals with stroke who receive RBT with tSCS and those who receive RBT with sham tSCS.Read full original descriptionShow less
People living with stroke have a high risk of falling and this risk increases as mobility improves over the first year post-stroke. Despite the high number of falls, there is a lack of interventions to prevent falls after stroke. One possible solution is to alter nerve activity through delivery of a stimulus, such as electrical stimulation. The purpose of this study is to describe and compare clinical, biomechanical and nerve-related outcomes between individuals with stroke who receive RBT with tSCS and those who receive RBT with sham tSCS.
Inclusion: Aged 18 years or greater; Diagnosed with a middle cerebral artery stroke >1 year ago; Community-dwelling (i.e. not living in long-term care or other inpatient setting); Able to stand independently for 60 seconds; Able to understand spoken English.
Exclusion: A prior lower extremity fragility fracture; Previous participation in tSCS within the past 2 years (May affect blinding integrity. Likely uncommon; FES is rarely used in Canada post-stroke.); Any condition other than stroke that significantly affects their postural control (e.g. vestibular disorder, vision loss); Contraindications for electrical stimulation (i.e. implanted electronic device, active cancer or radiation in past six months, uncontrolled epilepsy, skin rash/wound at an electrode site, pregnancy, active deep vein thrombosis); Contraindications for TMS (i.e. seizures, metal in the head); A planned injection of botulinum toxin to the legs during the intervention period; Peripheral nerve damage in the legs.