A team of scientists in Switzerland has developed a new way to help paralyzed people walk again. It seems as if this miracle can only be fabricated in science fiction movies, yet this is reality. The technique, called epidural stimulation, involves implanting electrodes in the spinal cord that send electrical signals to the muscles.
The first patient to receive the treatment was Gert-Jan Oskam, a 40-year-old man who was paralyzed from the waist down in a motorcycle accident in 2011. After receiving the treatment, Oskam was able to stand up and walk for the first time in 12 years. “It’s like a dream come true,” Oskam said. “I can’t believe I’m finally able to walk again.”
The scientists who developed the technique, led by Grégoire Courtine, believe that it could eventually help thousands of people who are paralyzed. “This is a major breakthrough,” Courtine said. “It shows that it is possible to restore walking in people who have been paralyzed for many years.” The technique is still in its early stages, and more research is needed to determine how effective it is in the long term. However, the results so far are very promising, and it could offer a new hope to people who have been paralyzed.
The development of this treatment is a major breakthrough in the field of spinal cord injury rehabilitation. It offers a new hope to people who have been paralyzed, and it could eventually lead to a cure for spinal cord injury.
