Comparing two devices to prevent blood clots after stroke

After an ischemic stroke, your body is at risk of developing dangerous blood clots. This trial is testing two different devices designed to prevent clots: one uses pneumatic compression (squeezing sleeves around your legs), and the other uses electrical stimulation of nerves in the legs to activate your calf muscles. Researchers want to see how each device affects blood flow in your brain and which may work better.

Stroke patients who cannot move around are especially vulnerable to blood clots in their legs, which can travel to the lungs and cause serious harm. While both of these prevention devices are already used in hospitals, doctors want to understand which one may be better at maintaining healthy blood flow to the brain during recovery.