• All of the measures below at four months:
  
• Whole body muscle mass via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry including
  
• Bone density at hip, spine, proximal tibia and distal femur using dual-energy xray absorptiometry,
  
• Bone density, bone geometry and muscle area via computed tomography,
  
• Spasticity via Ashworth Scale and Pendulum Test, and
  
• Factor analysis of electromyography and kinematics of gait.
  

• All of the measures above at six months, and twelve months, as well as the measures below at four months, six months and twelve months:
  
• incidence of urinary tract infections,
  
• spinal cord independence measure,
  
• urinary N-telopeptide and serum osteocalcin,
  
• timed up and go and two-minute walk test (functional mobility),
  
• incidence of pressure sores,
  
• reintegration to normal living index,
  
• satisfaction with life scale,
  
• Instrumental Activities of Daily Living SubScale,
  
• Craig Handicap assessment and reporting technique, and
  
• client perception of treatment (qualitative).
  

A barrier to maintaining health status and active social participation in the community for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) is the broad number of secondary medical complications typically associated with their injury, such as bone loss, spasticity, urinary tract infections and pressure sores.

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is an intervention that applies short current pulses to muscles and causes them to contract. FES can be applied to individuals with SCI to help them restore functions such as walking and grasping by contracting groups of paralyzed muscles in an orchestrated manner.

Pilot work conducted by our research group suggests that applying FES to augment functional improvement often reduces incidents of secondary complications such as spasticity, pressure sores, and swelling of the legs. Specifically, functional and meaningful walking tasks performed on a regular basis with the help of FES therapy have the potential to improve overall physical and psychological well being of persons with incomplete SCI. This study seeks to demonstrate that thrice-weekly FES training for 4 months can restore/improve walking function in chronic, incomplete SCI individuals and that this therapy will considerably reduce the occurrences of secondary complications due to SCI. This will subsequently promote opportunities for active social participation and enhance the quality of life for SCI consumers. Comparison: 32 individuals with chronic, incomplete SCI will be randomized to either thrice-weekly FES therapy OR thrice-weekly aerobic and resistance training. The study will determine which therapy is superior for improving walking function and reducing secondary complications associated with SCI after 4 months of training, and after 2-month and 8-month follow-up periods.