Back in May 2024, the renowned journal Medscape announced that non-invasive electrical stimulation could improve hand and arm function in paralyzed patients. According to a study by Chet Moritz from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle and colleagues on 65 people with paralysis of the upper and lower body (tetraplegia), the sensory abilities of the arm and hand functions and the quality of life improved in the majority of the test subjects.

According to the report published by the BBC on February 24, 2025 and the podcast (>18.48), a study sponsored by the charity Spinal Research UK has also shown improvements in 10 test subjects with electrical stimulation in paraplegics (paralysis of the lower extremities). Electrodes were attached to the skin above and below the respective spinal cord injury. The spinal cord was then stimulated externally with electrical impulses. These therapies were supplemented with standardized rehabilitation programs, in particular physical therapies and robotic aids.

In Switzerland, the costs of electrical stimulation therapy are covered by compulsory health insurance and compulsory accident insurance under certain conditions. Particularly in the early phase after paralysis, the prospects for improvements in arm and leg function through electrical stimulation are intact.

Attn Martin Hablützel