Fig. 1

Experimental design and protocol. A MRI scan of an SCI participant in this study with a severe injury in the T4/T5 section. B Abbott TripoleTM 16-contact lead. C X-rays of leads implanted in SCI participants; Left: paddle implanted during T12 laminectomy surgery; Right: paddle implanted after surgery overlying the T12-L1 epidural space. D Left: front view; Middle: side view; and Right: back view showing the placement of EMG electrodes in blue. Electrodes were placed on the 1. Right Iliopsoas (R-IL), 2. Right Rectus Femoris (R-RF), 3. Right Tibialis Anterior (R-TA), 4. Right Extensor Hallucis Longus (R-EHL), 5. Right Gastrocnemius (R-G), 6. Left Iliopsoas (L-IL), 7. Left Rectus Femoris (L-RF), 8. Left Tibialis Anterior (L-TA), 9. Left Extensor Hallucis Longus (L-EHL), and 10. Left Gastrocnemius (L-G). E Integrated Computer-Nicolet EDX EMG system powered by Viking software used to acquire sEMGs during the BMCA. F BMCA tasks performed by the SCI participants and control participants after electrode placement (G). H Sample sEMGs, which were analyzed to understand changes in neuromuscular control using spinal map analysis, muscle synergy analysis, and fractal analysis (I–K, respectively)