title: Electrical stimulation for therapy and mobility after spinal cord injury.
abstract: This article reviews the use of therapeutic and functional electrical stimulation in subjects after a spinal cord injury (SCI). Muscles become much weaker and more fatigable, while bone density decreases dramatically after SCI. Therapeutic stimulation of paralyzed muscles for about 1 h/day can reverse the atrophic changes and markedly increase muscle strength and endurance as well as bone density. Functional electrical stimulation can also improve the speed and efficiency of walking in people with an incomplete SCI. Finally, a modified wheelchair is described in which electrical stimulation or residual voluntary activation of leg muscles can produce movements of a footrest that is coupled to the wheels. The wheelchair can provide greater mobility and fitness to persons who are not functional walkers and currently use their arms to propel a wheelchair.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2S2, Canada. richard.stein@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Su Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Kelvin B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.forename: Gordon J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: L Aaron
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tubman
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bélanger
mesh_terms: D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D018763:Muscle Fatigue; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D014910:Wheelchairs