VR-Integrated C-Mill® Combined With Conventional Therapy in Motor-Incomplete SCI

Ankara City Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)

Treatments: Device: C-Mill® Treadmill Training Combined with Conventional Physiotherapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07141784

AnkaraCHBilkent-PMR-MSS-04

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study investigates the effects of C-Mill® treadmill training, which integrates virtual reality and gamified tasks, combined with conventional physiotherapy, on walking ability, mobility, functional independence, and health-related quality of life in individuals with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI).

Participants are adults aged 18 years or older with injury at the T4 level or below, classified as American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale grade C or D, and with ICD-10 codes S24.73-S24.77 or S34.70. Individuals with a history of osteoporosis, cardiopulmonary disease, other neurological disorders, joint-related conditions, or concurrent participation in another study are excluded.

All participants complete a 4-week integrated rehabilitation program at a specialized spinal cord injury center. The program consists of 10 C-Mill® sessions in addition to conventional physiotherapy, targeting balance, gait, and walking speed through task-specific training and individualized exercises to improve mobility, strength, and functional skills.

Full description

Spinal cord injury (SCI) limits mobility and independence, creating substantial physical and psychological burdens. Virtual reality and gamified treadmill systems such as the C-Mill® may enhance walking rehabilitation through task-specific and engaging practice.

This observational study investigated the effects of C-Mill® treadmill training combined with conventional physiotherapy on walking ability, mobility, functional independence, and health-related quality of life in individuals with motor-incomplete SCI (iSCI). The C-Mill® system provides task-specific, engaging, and safe walking practice through real-time visual feedback and interactive scenarios designed to improve balance, gait speed, and obstacle negotiation.

Participants were adults aged 18 years or older, with spinal cord injury at the T4 level or below, classified as American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale grade C or D. ICD-10 codes for inclusion ranged from S24.73 to S24.77 or S34.70. Individuals were in the chronic phase of iSCI and were excluded if they had a history of osteoporosis, cardiopulmonary disease, other neurological disorders, joint-related conditions, or concurrent participation in another study.

All participants completed a 4-week integrated rehabilitation program at a specialized spinal cord injury center. The program consisted of 10 C-Mill® training sessions in addition to conventional physiotherapy. Each C-Mill® session included activities targeting static and dynamic balance, stride regulation, and safe gait adaptation, with progressive difficulty tailored to each participant's abilities. Conventional therapy included individualized physiotherapy exercises focusing on mobility, strength, and functional skills to support walking performance and independence.

Enrollment: 11 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 years or older
• Diagnosis of spinal cord injury at T4 level or lower
• American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale classification of grade C or D
• ICD-10 codes S24.73 to S24.77 or S34.70

Exclusion criteria

• History of osteoporosis
• Cardiopulmonary disease
• Other neurological disorders
• Joint-related conditions
• Concurrent participation in another study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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11 participants in 1 patient group

C-Mill® Treadmill Training Plus Conventional Physiotherapy

Experimental group

Description:

Participants received an integrated rehabilitation program consisting of C-Mill® treadmill training combined with conventional physiotherapy. The program lasted 4 weeks and included 10 C-Mill® sessions in addition to individualized physiotherapy exercises. Each C-Mill® session incorporated virtual reality and gamified tasks to improve static and dynamic balance and to regulate gait. Conventional physiotherapy focused on mobility, muscle strength, and functional skills to enhance walking performance and independence.

Treatment:

Device: C-Mill® Treadmill Training Combined with Conventional Physiotherapy