title: Effect of normal-walking-pattern-based functional electrical stimulation on gait of the lower extremity in subjects with ischemic stroke: A self controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional electrical stimulation is a widely used technique for rehabilitation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of walking-pattern-based four-channel functional electric stimulation and its influence on the gait features of stroke patients with hemiplegia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 21 stroke patients with hemiplegia were enrolled into the study. The walking gaits of patients were investigated before, during and after walking-pattern-based FES treatment using the gait analysis system. The changes of gait indexes were comparatively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After walking-pattern-based FES therapy, the pace, stride rate, gait cycle, and step length of stroke patients with hemiplegia were 50.19 ± 14.45 cm/s, 36.85 ± 5.85 time/min, 1.6643 ± 0.2626 sec, 80.3333 ± 15.1438 cm, respectively. The motion range of hip and knee joint were 47.5238 ± 10.7453, 56.7619 ± 14.5255, respectively. We found these indexes were significantly improved compared with those before FES treatment (P <  0.05). The single swing rate (injured extremity/uninjured extremity) after FES treatment was 1.5589 ± 0.4550. The statistical results showed that the gait cycle, pace, stride rat, and single swing rate (injured extremity/uninjured extremity) were significantly improved after FES treatment (P <  0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that walking-paradigm based FES we developed is effective for treating stroke patients during rehabilitation.
authors.forename: Benlei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Tiebin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yuanle
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ruiqing
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Shuping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016138:Walking
keywords: Stroke; functional electrical stimulation; gait analysis; hemiparalysis