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Four paralyzed youths walk again, a technique born in Italy
Italy🔬 ScienceCenter9/8/2026

Four paralyzed youths walk again, a technique born in Italy

Four young Italian individuals who had complete chronic spinal cord injuries and lost all muscle control in their legs were able to walk again using a new technique developed in Italy. The method, created through collaboration between the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, involves a commercially available spinal stimulator activated by voluntary torso movements. This stimulation activates leg nerves, allowing participants to stand and walk with a walking aid after four months of training. The technique, called trunk-mediated control (TMC), does not require brain implants or external sensors but uses residual voluntary movement of the torso to influence nerve stimulation. Participants demonstrated significant improvements, including climbing stairs and navigating uneven surfaces.

Four individuals with complete spinal cord injuries have regained the ability to walk after months of intensive rehabilitation, according to recent developments in Italy. The four young patients, who had previously lost all muscle control in their legs, can now stand up from wheelchairs and move using a walking frame. This breakthrough was made possible by a new Italian technique developed at the Modular Implantable Neuroprosthetics Laboratory (Mine), a collaboration between the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, operating within the Irccs San Raffaele Hospital. The technique, known as Trunk-mediated control (TMC), involves using a commercially available spinal stimulator activated by slight extensions of the torso, approximately nine degrees. This movement alters the response to stimulation, enabling a transition from leg extension needed for weight-bearing to coordinated hip, knee, and ankle flexion required for forward motion. Unlike previous methods, this approach does not require brain implants, external sensors, or decoding algorithms. Instead, the patient's voluntary movement of the torso contributes directly to controlling locomotion. The participants in the trial are four Italians under 35 years old, including three men and one woman. Two hail from Lombardy, one from Marche, and one from Umbria. One of them, Nicolò, 21 years old in October, served as a torchbearer during the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina. Their progress has been substantial, with all achieving a WISCI II score increase from 0 to 9, indicating improved walking capability. Three of them can stand for extended periods using just one hand while performing daily tasks with the other. One participant walked 132 meters in 42 minutes without breaks, and all managed to navigate curves, slopes, and uneven surfaces. Pietro Mortini, from the Irccs San Raffaele Hospital and professor of Neurosurgery at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, explained that the method does not restore the ability to voluntarily contract leg muscles, which remained absent in all participants. However, it utilizes a preserved voluntary function, the movement of the torso, to control the effects of stimulation, allowing individuals to actively participate in creating each step. Sandro Iannaccone, head of physiotherapists at the Mine Lab, emphasized the integration of spinal stimulation with innovative, intensive, progressive, and personalized rehabilitation. Silvestro Micera, professor of Bioengineering at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, noted that the body itself becomes part of the control interface, eliminating the need to decode brain signals or add external sensors. The interaction between residual voluntary movement, body biomechanics, and nervous system stimulation generates the necessary command for stepping.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 2 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

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2 reports

Il Sole 24 Ore logoIl Sole 24 OreParty-aligned🔒CenterFactual 86Objective 809/8/2026
Medicine, 4 people with complete spinal cord injury walk again

Four young individuals with complete chronic spinal cord injuries have regained the ability to walk after months of intensive rehabilitation, thanks to a new Italian technique called Trunk-mediated Control (TMC). The breakthrough was achieved through a collaboration between the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, utilizing an existing spinal stimulator activated by trunk movement. The patients, all under 35 years old, showed significant improvements, including standing for extended periods and walking short distances. One patient walked 132 meters over 42 minutes, navigating various terrains. The method does not require brain implants, external sensors, or complex decoding algorithms.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a scientific medical advancement without overt ideological framing. While the achievement has national significance due to Italy's involvement in research, the focus remains on the technical and clinical aspects rather than political implications. The tone is neutral, focusing客观

Why factuality (86): This article provides consistent information with the first article, including the number of participants, their age range, and the name of one participant, Nicolò. It also references the WISCI II score improvement, which adds credibility. The description of the TMC technique matches the cross-sourc

Why objectivity (80): The article maintains a neutral tone throughout, focusing on the medical achievement without overtly emotional language. However, the mention of Nicolò being a torchbearer at the Winter Paralympics may subtly highlight individual success stories, which can sometimes skew perception.

ANSA logoANSAIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 789/7/2026
Four paralyzed youths walk again, a technique born in Italy

Four young Italian individuals who had complete chronic spinal cord injuries and lost all muscle control in their legs were able to walk again using a new technique developed in Italy. The method, created through collaboration between the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, involves a commercially available spinal stimulator activated by voluntary torso movements. This stimulation activates leg nerves, allowing participants to stand and walk with a walking aid after four months of training. The technique, called trunk-mediated control (TMC), does not require brain implants or external sensors but uses residual voluntary movement of the torso to influence nerve stimulation. Participants demonstrated significant improvements, including climbing stairs and navigating uneven surfaces.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses on a scientific breakthrough in medical technology and rehabilitation techniques. It presents factual information about the research, methodology, and outcomes without taking a political stance or showing bias toward any ideological perspective. There is no mention of political,官

Why factuality (85): The article accurately describes the Italian research team and their new technique, citing the collaboration between universities and hospitals. It mentions the participants as four young Italians under 35, with specific regions represented. The method described aligns with the cross-source consensu

Why objectivity (78): The tone remains positive and celebratory, emphasizing the success of the treatment. While this is appropriate given the nature of the news, there is a slight bias towards portraying the outcome as groundbreaking without acknowledging potential limitations or ongoing research needs.

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