An EMG-control functional electrical stimulation (FES) system for restoration of gait in foot drop patients

Introduction Functional electrical stimulation applies electrical pulses to the peripheral nerves to artificially achieve a sensory/motor function. When applied for the compensation of foot drop it provides both assistive and therapeutic effects. Multi-field electrodes have shown great potential but may increase the complexity of these systems. Usability aspects should be checked to ensure their success in clinical environments. Methods We developed the Fesia Walk device, based on a surface multi-field electrode and an automatic calibration algorithm, and carried out a usability study to check the feasibility of integrating this device in therapeutic programs in clinical environments. The study included 4 therapists and 10 acquired brain injury subjects (8 stroke and 2 traumatic brain injury). Results Therapists and users were “very satisfied” with the device according to the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology scale, with average scores of 4.1 and 4.2 out of 5, respectively. Therapists considered the Fesia Walk device as “excellent” according to the System Usability Scale with an average score of 85.6 out of 100. Conclusions This study showed us that it is feasible to include surface multi-field technology while keeping a device simple and intuitive for successful integration in common neurorehabilitation programs.

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Gait phase detection from sciatic nerve recordings in functional electrical stimulation systems for foot drop correction

Physiological Measurement ◽

10.1088/0967-3334/34/5/541 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 541-565 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Jun-Uk Chu ◽

Kang-Il Song ◽

Sungmin Han ◽

Soo Hyun Lee ◽

Ji Yoon Kang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Sciatic Nerve ◽

Functional Electrical Stimulation ◽

Foot Drop ◽

Phase Detection ◽

Gait Phase ◽

Nerve Recordings

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A self-adaptive foot-drop corrector using functional electrical stimulation (FES) modulated by tibialis anterior electromyography (EMG) dataset

Medical Engineering & Physics ◽

10.1016/j.medengphy.2012.04.016 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 195-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Mo Chen ◽

Bian Wu ◽

Xinxin Lou ◽

Ting Zhao ◽

Jianhua Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Functional Electrical Stimulation ◽

Tibialis Anterior ◽

Foot Drop ◽

Self Adaptive

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Effects of biofeedback versus switch-triggered functional electrical stimulation on sciatica-related foot drop

Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation ◽

10.3233/bmr-169578 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 239-245 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Dragos Petrica Sardaru ◽

Daniela Matei ◽

Dan Zaharia-Kezdi ◽

Liviu Pendefunda

Keyword(s):

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Functional Electrical Stimulation ◽

Foot Drop

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CLINICAL USE OF FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION FOR CORRECTION OF FOOT DROP: A COMPARISON BETWEEN SUBACUTE AND CHRONIC STROKE PATIENTS

Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology ◽

10.1142/s0219519411004253 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 11 (05) ◽

pp. 1165-1177 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

SUKANTA K. SABUT ◽

CHHANDA SIKDAR ◽

RATNESH KUMAR ◽

MANJUNATHA MAHADEVAPPA

Keyword(s):

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Lower Extremity ◽

Functional Electrical Stimulation ◽

Rehabilitation Program ◽

Chronic Stroke ◽

Motor Recovery ◽

Calf Muscle ◽

Foot Drop ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Muscle Spasticity

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) allows active exercises for correction of foot drop in stroke patients. Our objective is to evaluate and compare the effects of FES therapy in walking ability, calf muscle spasticity, and lower-extremity motor recovery between subacute and chronic stroke patients. Twenty consecutive hemiplegic patients having foot drop were assigned either to subacute or chronic group. Both group subjects were treated with conventional rehabilitation program combined with FES therapy for 12 weeks. All subjects received the electrical stimulation to the peroneal nerve of paretic limb for 15–30 min while walking.After being treated with FES-based rehabilitation program, subacute subjects showed a mean increase in walking speed of 31.3% and chronic subjects of 19.1% and the physiological cost index (PCI), with a reduction of 66.7% in subacute subjects and 46.4% in chronic subjects between the beginning and end of the trial. Improvement was also measured in gait parameters such as cadence, step and stride lengths, ankle joint range of motion (ROM), calf muscle spasticity, and lower-extremity motor recovery assessed by Fugl-Meyer score in both group subjects, but subacute subjects improved better compared with chronic subjects. In conclusion, early and intensive interventions of FES therapy combine with conventional rehabilitation program could significantly improve the waking ability and recovery of lower-extremity motor functions in stroke survivors.

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