title: Metrological characterization of a cycle-ergometer to optimize the cycling induced by functional electrical stimulation on patients with stroke.
abstract: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a well established method in the rehabilitation of stroke patients. Indeed, a bilateral movement such as cycling induced by FES would be crucial for these patients who had an unilateral motor impairment and had to recover an equivalent use of limbs. The aim of this study was to develop a low-cost meteorologically qualified cycle-ergometer, optimized for patients with stroke. A commercial ergometer was instrumented with resistive strain gauges and was able to provide the torque produced at the right and left crank, independently. The developed system was integrated with a stimulator, obtaining a novel FES cycling device able to control in real-time the movement unbalance. A dynamic calibration of the sensors was performed and a total torque uncertainty was computed. The system was tested on a healthy subject and on a stroke patient. Results demonstrated that the proposed sensors could be successfully used during FES cycling sessions where the maximum torque produced is about 9Nm, an order of magnitude less than the torque produced during voluntary cycling. This FES cycling system will assist in future investigations on stroke rehabilitation by means of FES and in new exercise regimes designed specifically for patients with unilateral impairments.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Meccanica, Politecnico di Milano, Via La Masa 1, Milano, Italy. lorenzo.comolli@polimi.it
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Comolli
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedrocchi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bocciolone
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrigno
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molteni
mesh_terms: D001642:Bicycling; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002138:Calibration; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength; D010807:Physical Endurance; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013997:Time Factors; D019415:Torque