Rob's miracle: Paralyzed man's first steps

rob summers, paralyzed, paraplegic, wheelchair, spine, therapy — University of Louisville

When Rob Summers was paralyzed below the chest in a 2006 car accident, doctors told him he would never walk again. But with the help of an electrical stimulator implanted onto his spine, the 25-year-old Portland, Ore. man is once again on his feet. "It was the most incredible feeling," Summers told the Associated Press. "After not being able to move for four years, I thought things could finally change."

Summers case was described in a new study published in the English medical journal "The Lancet."

For years, people with partial spinal cord injuries have experienced some improvement after electrical stimulation, but this is said to be the first time someone with a complete spinal cord injury has been able to stand.

Within days of receiving the implant, Summers was able to stand without help. Months later, he could also wiggle his toes, move his knees, ankles and hips - and take a few steps on a treadmill.

Electrical stimulators of the sort that enables Summers to walk cost up to $20,000 and are typically used to relieve pain. Doctors were surprised that it was able to help Summers voluntarily move his legs. It "opens up a whole new avenue for us to address paralysis," Dr. Harkema, the study's lead author, told the AP.

Summers can stand only during therapy sessions, when the stimulator is turned on. He relies on a wheelchair to get around.

Summers was in extraordinary physical condition before his injury.

Rob can remain standing for up to four minutes, and with the help of a harness, he can walk. Dr. Harkema said, "This is a breakthrough. But we have a long road ahead."

"My ultimate goal is to walk and run again," Summers told the AP. "I believe anything is possible and that I will get out of my wheelchair one day."