Congratulations to Dr. Tania Lam, who has been awarded funding from the Craig Neilsen Foundation for her pilot study exploring innovative rehabilitation strategies for people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Her project will examine whether combining tibial nerve stimulation with exoskeleton gait training can improve pelvic floor function and urinary health after SCI.
A spinal cord injury is a life-altering condition that impacts nearly every organ system, and recovery of lower urinary tract function is one of the highest priorities for people living with SCI. Current management strategies often rely on medications, injections, or catheterization, which can have significant side effects and limited long-term use. Dr. Lam’s study will test a new, rehabilitation-based approach that taps into the overlapping neural pathways between lower-limb sensorimotor control and pelvic floor function.
The research team will investigate two key areas: how sensory inputs from the leg muscles influence reflex activity in the pelvic floor, and whether combining tibial nerve stimulation at the ankle with exoskeleton-assisted walking is both feasible and beneficial for participants. Beyond measuring recruitment, adherence, and safety, the study will also explore changes in urinary symptoms, pelvic floor reflexes, and quality of life.
In addition to this project, Dr. Lam is also serving as Co-PI on The Good Sham Study, which addresses a major challenge in spinal cord injury research: the lack of a validated sham device for transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tcSCS) trials. By developing a sham that replicates the sensory feel of tcSCS without engaging the spinal circuitry, this work will strengthen the rigor of future clinical trials and ensure more reliable evaluation of tcSCS therapies.
Together, these projects highlight Dr. Lam’s leadership in advancing innovative, neuroplasticity-based approaches to SCI rehabilitation. Her work is paving the way for more accessible, effective strategies to improve both daily function and long-term quality of life for people with spinal cord injury.
Read more in the links below:
The Good Sham Study: Sham transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation for spinal cord injury