title: Impact of treadmill gait training with neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the urodynamic profile of patients with high cervical spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of gait training with neuromuscular electrical stimulation on urodynamic parameters of patients with neurogenic bladder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight male quadriplegic patients with complete cervical injury level ranging from C4 to C7 comprised the study population. They underwent treadmill gait training with neuromuscular electrical stimulation for six months, only after having their quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscles stimulated for five months in order to support at least 50% of their body weight (pre-gait training). Urodynamic testing was performed before the treadmill gait training and six months after.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time after cervical lesion was 74.63 months. The urodynamic parameters before and after neuromuscular training by electrical stimulation did not show significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that neuromuscular training with electrical stimulation can benefit the urinary tract. This promising minimally invasive field requires further and more complete studies to confirm a possible benefit to the low urinary tract.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Carlos Arturo Levi
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: D'Ancona
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clilclet
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Lia Yumi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Ikari
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Renato Jesus
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pedro
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Walter da
authors.initials: Wd
authors.lastname: Silva Júnior