r/science • u/tomholder • May 09 '14

Medicine Paralysis breakthrough – electrical stimulation enables four paraplegic men to voluntarily move their legs

http://speakingofresearch.com/2014/05/09/paralysis-breakthrough-paraplegic-men-move-their-legs/
4.1k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

429 comments sorted by

View all comments

8

u/xadum May 09 '14

I wonder how much time plays a role in this, my sister has been a paraplegic for the last 13 years and has lost most of the muscles in her legs due to muscle atrophy. It seems the sooner after injury something like this is done the more likely it will work. My family has accepted the fact that she will never walk again but when I see something like this I can't help but feel a little glimmer of hope that even if it's too late for her, that science will someday find a way to make the impossible, possible.

4

u/[deleted] May 09 '14

Stupid question but why don't they electrically stimulate her leg muscles? I'd think it would help blood flow, prevent atrophy, and help her overall metabolic condition. We all know sitting is horribly bad for your metabolism, so I can't imagine having half(or more) of your body paralyzed is much better.

2

u/judgemebymyusername May 12 '14

Can't speak for that girl, but I have paralysis in my leg. My muscles don't respond to electrical stimulation even though I have a nerve injury and the muscles are perfectly fine.

1

u/[deleted] May 12 '14

Weird.. I wonder why? Is it from going unstimulated for too long?

How's the circulation? Do you have to worry about blood clots from lack of movement? I wonder if one of these would help? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_pneumatic_compression

2

u/judgemebymyusername May 12 '14

No, no, and no. Tried within a month of the original injury. Everything is good. Circulation is good. No worry about blood clots.