NISE-Stim® Level 2
Advanced Certification in Tone Modulation & Spinal Alignment (2 Days – 14 Hours)
Take your NISE-Stim skills to the next level with this advanced, in-person course focused on tone modulation, posture correction, and spinal alignment. Learn to refine stimulation parameters and electrode placement to address complex neuromotor challenges.
Who is eligible to take NISE-Stim® courses?: Open exclusively to therapists who have completed NISE-Stim® Level 1.
💡 You’ll Learn:
• Advanced treatment strategies for scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis
• Specialized approaches for severe hypotonia, including SMA, to activate and strengthen low-tone muscles
• Techniques to modulate tone — excite nerves for activation or dampen activity to reduce spasticity and dystonia
• Clinical reasoning for postural correction and neuromuscular balance
• Extensive hands-on practice and clinical case demonstrations
Program Objectives:
By the end of this 14-hour training, participants will be able to:
1. Apply advanced NISE-Stim® concepts by integrating updated spinal electrical stimulation principles and recent clinical developments into treatment planning.
2. Design targeted treatment strategies for kyphosis, scoliosis, lordosis, hypotonia, spasticity, and dystonia using condition-specific stimulation approaches.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in practical application of NISE-Stim® through accurate electrode placement, parameter selection, and hands-on trunk-specific stimulation techniques.
4. Perform advanced trunk assessment and clinical reasoning to identify structural and functional impairments and tailor individualized NISE-Stim® protocols.
5. Improve postural alignment, stability, and functional motor outcomes through integration of spinal stimulation with positioning and movement-based strategies.
6. Demonstrate clinical competence and confidence by observing, participating in, and reflecting on live treatments of children with complex neuromotor presentations, including spasticity, dystonia, and hypotonia.
💰 Level 2 Course Fee (Level 2A and 2B)
In-person courses (fee per person, per course)
In-person includes Levels 2A and 2B
$660 Early Bird (register at least one month before the course)
$690 Regular (register within one month of the course)
Live online course
$250 per person – Level 2A
$250 per person – Level 2B
Recorded course
$250 per person – Level 2A
$250 per person – Level 2B
Research:
Motavalli, Gerti, Jan J. McElroy, and Gad Alon. “An exploratory electrical stimulation protocol in the management of an infant with spina bifida: a case report.” Child Neurology Open 6 (2019): 2329048X19835656.
Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is emerging as a promising non-invasive intervention for reducing spasticity in children, particularly those with cerebral palsy (CP) and spinal cord injury (SCI). Recent studies demonstrate both neuromodulatory benefits and improvements in motor control, making it a viable option for pediatric neurorehabilitation.
A 2023 pilot study by Shrivastav et al. (Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation and Short-burst Interval Treadmill Training in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering doi: 10.1109/TBME.2024.3522317) investigated the combination of tSCS with short-burst interval treadmill training in children with CP. The results showed sustained reductions in spasticity for up to 8 weeks post-intervention. These improvements were accompanied by enhancements in walking function, suggesting a dual benefit of the intervention. https://doi.org/10.1109/TBME.2024.3522317
Building on this, a 2024 study by the same group Shrivastav et al. Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation and Short-Burst Interval Treadmill Training in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study, IEEE Transactions on Biomedic… >Volume: 72 Issue: 5 reinforced these findings. In this multi-session protocol, improvements in spasticity were consistently observed, further supporting the feasibility of integrating tSCS into pediatric therapy regimens.
An earlier controlled study by Solopova et al. (2017) Effects of spinal cord stimulation on motor functions in children with cerebral palsy, Neuroscience Letters, Volume 639, 3 February 2017, Pages 192-198 provided foundational evidence for spinal cord stimulation in children with spastic diplegic CP, reporting motor function improvements after stimulation at two spinal levels. EMG data confirmed decreased spastic responses post-stimulation.
In a broader review of tSCS application across age groups, Singh et al. (2023) Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation From Adults to Children: A Review, Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil (2023) 29 (1): 16–32. https://doi.org/10.46292/sci21-00084 discuss how neuromodulatory principles effective in adults appear to translate well into pediatric populations, with similar reductions in spasticity and potential for motor recovery.
Although tSCS studies in pediatric SCI populations are still sparse, preliminary research
like Singh et al. (2024) Safety and Feasibility of Cervical and Thoracic Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation to Improve Hand Motor Function in Children With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury, Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface, Volume 27, Issue 4, June 2024, Pages 661-671 has confirmed its safety and feasibility in children with chronic SCI, laying groundwork for future clinical use.
Together, these studies signal a growing consensus: tSCS can safely reduce spasticity and enhance function in children, especially when combined with gait training or neurodevelopmental therapies