Research on movements controlled by functional electrical stimulation (FES)
We perform research on functional electrical stimulation controlled movements of spinal cord injured patients. Participants are selected from the patients of the Rehabilitation Department of Spinal Cord Injuries. Our aim is to artificially substitute and control lost motor functions of people with spinal cord injury. Applying multichannel electrical stimulators, electrical impulses are sent to muscles through surface electrodes to stimulate muscles at a well orchestrated way. The paralyzed muscles exert active contractions and the patients can perform limb movements. We focus on FES driven cycling movements.
The FES cycling trainings are not only strengthen muscles but have beneficial effects on cardiovascular and respiratory functions of the patient.
We monitor these effects by spirometry and and cardiovascular measurements. The psychological effects of the cycling trainings are invaluable, as the patients know, that even if the motor command is not coming to the muscles from the brain, the patients can exert active muscle forces and drive the stationary bike or a tricycle by their own paralyzed muscles.
For defining the muscle stimulation patterns we process kinematic and electromyographic data assessed from leg and arm cycling movements of able bodied persons, using 3D motion analyzer systems. The established muscle activity patterns provide the base of stimulation patterns for well coordinated simultaneous stimulation of several muscles of paralyzed patients.
Our research team has strong cooperation with the Neurorehabilitation and Motor Control Research Group of the Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Budapest. We cooperate with Hungarian, European and American Research Groups. PhD students of the University of Pecs, the Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Budapest, the University of Physical Education, Budapest and the Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest are participating in our research.
Further information related to our research:
http://rehab.wigner.mta.hu/
