For the first time in nine years, a stroke victim moves her hand

At 22, Heather Rendulic was paralysed on her left side after a stroke in 2012.

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New technology was employed by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University in the United States to stimulate her spinal cord in the neck area.

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Ms Rendulic, 33, could move a can of soup and even use a knife and fork to cut steak while being stimulated, something she had yet to accomplish in over a decade.

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 "Stimulation feels like a tickle, and it's never painful, but it takes some getting used to, I would say." Heather, who resides in the United States, said.

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"It's just awesome because I can move my arm and hands in ways I haven't done in almost a decade."

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Strokes are estimated to affect 100,000 persons in the United Kingdom each year. Around two-thirds of the 1.2 million survivors cannot return to work due to long-term motor function impacts.

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Researchers believe their innovative technology will provide hope to those with problems previously thought to be irreversible.

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The study found that the advantages of spinal stimulation can be seen for up to four weeks after the surgery is completed, with no significant adverse effects.

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To contact the intact nerve cells, thin metal electrodes, which resemble spaghetti strands, are implanted along the neck.

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Additional study participants are needed to help researchers determine which stroke victims may benefit the most.