Feasibility of complex exercise therapy with Standing Ovation and peripheral neuromodulation for gait rehabilitation after incomplete spinal cord injury—a case report

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are a global concern, annually affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals. Among these cases, incomplete SCIs, allowing some muscle activity below the injury, pose unique challenges. This case study focuses on a 55-year-old male with a moderate incomplete SCI (AIS-D).

After initial treatments and pharmaceutical antispastic therapy, a novel intervention was introduced featuring the Standing Ovation gait exercise system (Standing Ovation GmbH, Hallwang, Austria). This individually tailored system, equipped with a rail system and seat-lifting unit, provided a secure environment for balance training. Over 14 training sessions spanning from October 13, 2021, to March 23, 2022, improvements in functional walking were observed.

Locomotor improvement in SCI rehabilitation is important; the potential of task-specific gait exercises with the Standing Ovation system in incomplete spinal cord injury seems to be a promising approach. Although promising, these findings call for further systematic studies with larger patient cohorts to strengthen their reliability. Ongoing research endeavors are essential to fully understand the benefits and limitations of this intervention in spinal cord injury rehabilitation.