Vibration for Muscle Spasms After Spinal Cord Injury

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and females between ages 18-85 years of age
• SCI ( ≥1 month of injury)
• ASIA A, B,C and D
• SCI above L5
• Able to perform a visible contraction with dorsiflexor and hip flexor muscles (allowing testing of largely impaired patients)
• Able to ambulate a few steps with or without an assistive device. Inclusion criteria for healthy controls:
• Male and females between ages 18-85 years
• Able to complete precision grips with both hands
• Able to complete full elbow flexion-extension with both arms.
• Able to walk and complete lower-limb tests with both legs.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Uncontrolled medical problems including pulmonary, cardiovascular or orthopedicdisease,
• Any debilitating disease prior to the SCI that caused exercise intolerance
• Premorbid, ongoing major depression or psychosis, altered cognitive status
• History of head injury or stroke,
• Metal plate in skull
• History of seizures
• Receiving drugs acting primarily on the central nervous system, which lower theseizure threshold such as antipsychotic drugs (chlorpromazine, clozapine) or tricyclicantidepressants.
• Pregnant females, and
• Ongoing cord compression or a syrinx in the spinal cord or who suffer from a spinalcord disease such as spinal stenosis, spina bifida or herniated cervical disk. This information will be obtained by self-report.