New therapy helps some regain motion lost to spinal injury
Marcus Donner/Center for Neurotechnology Research participant Jon Schlueter works with Dr. Fatma Inanici, as she tests his motor skills early in the study. Almost 18,000 Americans experience traumatic spinal cord injuries every year. Many of these people are unable to use their hands and arms and can’t do everyday tasks such as eating, grooming or drinking water without help. In a small study of physical therapy combined with a noninvasive method of stimulating spinal-cord nerve cells, University of Washington researchers helped six Seattle-area participants regain some hand and arm mobili...