Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can be used to
activate nerves and muscles that have been paralyzed,
thereby restoring function, improving mobility and enabling
exercise. For persons with movement disabilities there are
many secondary health problems resulting from the lack of
mobility. For example, bones and muscles deteriorate from
lack of use and cardiovascular fitness declines from lack
of exercise. Thus, the primary disability initiates a
downward spiral of degrading health and quality of life.
Providing treatments (e.g. functional electrical
stimulation) that enable even simple physical activities
can stop the cycle of diminishing health and maintain or
improve quality of life.
FES can be used to assist walking, reaching, grasping to
enable functional tasks and exercise. Both treatments have
been shown to ncrease cardiovascular fitness, reduce
spasticity, and counteract many of the secondary health
declines descrobed above. In collaboration with Drs.
Richard Stein (University of Alberta) and Gerald Loeb
(University of Southern California), we have developed an
FES system that uses BIONic nerve stimulators to correct
foot-drop (Weber et al., 2004). This work represents the
first application of BIONs (wireless and injectable
electrical stimulators) in FES. In July, 2003, we began a
clinical trial in Canada to evaluate the efficacy of BIONs
in correcting foot-drop. We are currently working with our
first BION recipient and finding that the BIONic
stimulation is effective in correcting foot drop.