Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a technique that uses low-energy electrical pulses to artificially generate body movements in individuals who have been paralyzed due to injury to the central nervous system. More specifically, FES can be used to generate muscle contraction in otherwise paralyzed limbs to produce functions such as grasping, walking, bladder voiding and standing. This technology was originally used to develop neuroprostheses that were implemented to permanently substitute impaired functions in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), head injury, stroke and other neurological disorders. In other words, a person would use the device each time he or she wanted to generate a desired function.[1] FES is sometimes also referred to as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES).[2]
FES technology has been used to deliver therapies to retrain voluntary motor functions such as grasping, reaching and walking. In this embodiment, FES is used as a short-term therapy, the objective of which is restoration of voluntary function and not lifelong dependence on the FES device, hence the name functional electrical stimulation therapy, FES therapy (FET or FEST). In other words, the FEST is used as a short-term intervention to help an individual's central nervous system re-learn how to execute impaired functions, instead of making them dependent on neuroprostheses for the rest of their life.[3] Initial Phase II clinical trials conducted with FEST for reaching and grasping, and walking were carried out at KITE, the research arm of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.[4][5][6][7]
^M.R. Popovic, K. Masani and S. Micera, "Chapter 9 – Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy: Recovery of function following spinal cord injury and stroke," In press, Neurorehabilitation Technology – Second Edition, Z. Rymer, T. Nef and V. Dietz, Ed. Springer Science Publishers in November 2015.
^M. Claudia et al., (2000), Artificial Grasping System for the Paralyzed Hand, International Society for Artificial Organs, Vol. 24 No. 3
^M.K. Nagai, C. Marquez-Chin, and M.R. Popovic, "Why is functional electrical stimulation therapy capable of restoring motor function following severe injury to the central nervous system?" Translational Neuroscience, Mark Tuszynski, Ed. Springer Science and Business Media LLC, pp: 479-498, 2016.
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