A review of portable FES-based neural orthoses for the correction of drop foot.
This paper reviews the technological developments in neural orthoses for the correction of upper motor neurone drop foot since 1961, when the technique was first proposed by Liberson and his co-workers. Drop foot stimulator (DFS) developments are reviewed starting with hard-wired single-channel and multichannel surface functional electrical stimulation (FES) systems, followed by implanted drop foot stimulators, and then continuing with microprocessor-based surface and implanted drop foot stimulators. The review examines the role of artificial and "natural" sensors as replacements for the foot-switch as the primary control sensor in drop foot stimulators. DFS systems incorporating real-time control of FES and completely implanted DFS systems finish the review.
Lyons
Gerard M
GM
Biomedical Electronics Laboratory, Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Limerick, Ireland. gerard.lyons@ul.ie
Sinkjaer
Thomas
T
Burridge
Jane H
JH
Wilcox
David J
DJ
D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004867:Equipment Design; D005528:Foot / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008839:Microelectrodes; D008904:Miniaturization; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014159:Transducers