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Functional electrical stimulation bikes have shown great promise for helping spinal cord injury patients to recover. This is especially true for those with incomplete injuries. What is functional electrical stimulation (FES)? How does an FES cycle work? What are some of the studies that show the effectiveness of this type of treatment following a spinal cord injury? We are going to answer these questions and help get you started on your recovery journey!
Functional electrical stimulation is a means of sending electrical impulses into the muscles. Typically, electrical impulses are sent through the central nervous system to activate the body. However, if these impulses cannot pass due to a spinal cord injury, FES can help to activate these muscles. This can help with muscle spasticity since the electrical stimulation is actually triggering the muscles. It can also be a means of assisting a patient who is living with paralysis to get some activity-based therapy. We will consider this further in our next section.
An FES cycle combines the benefits of electrical stimulation with cardiovascular exercise. The FES device works in harmony with a stationary bike or even a handcycle and provides stimulus to the muscles at just the right time to operate the pedals. Cardiovascular exercise is essential for heart and lung health. Therefore, an functional electrical stimulation bike can offer many benefits to an SCI survivor who may otherwise struggle to get enough aerobic exercise.
However, a functional electrical stimulation bike can provide even more benefits when it comes to paralysis recovery. Let’s look at the results of three studies to see how SCI survivors are benefiting from the use of an functional electrical stimulation bike as a part of their therapy.
Let’s begin with a study performed by the Kennedy Krieger Institute. This research reveals that FES cycling can decrease fat and increase muscle mass in patients living with chronic spinal cord injuries. However, there were also functional and neurological benefits that came from long-term therapy.
Forty-five people participated in the study. The researchers matched patients in the study to those in similar circumstances (age, gender, injury degree and duration, etc.) but who were not receiving activity-based therapy. The average length of the treatment was two years and 5.5 months.
In the functional electrical stimulation bike group, 80% of the patients saw the restoration of some degree of function. Meanwhile, this happened for just 45% of the control group. Response to pinprick sensation was also increased for 56% of those in the functional electrical stimulation bike group, while only 25% of the control experienced this neurological improvement. Additionally, 56% of the activity-based therapy group improved their light touch scores, versus just 30% of the control group.
Clearly, this type of therapy helped the patients in this study to see a more remarkable improvement in functional and neurological ability.
Another study, published in the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, reports specifically on the benefits of FES cycling for youths. This is a vital study because SCIs affect about 1 in 50,000 children and adolescents. We need effective treatment methods to help these young people regain as much independence as possible. Risks that are specific to young SCI survivors include things like bone density loss, hip misalignment, and cardiovascular disease.
One of the best ways to offset these risks is with cardiovascular exercise. But, again, it can be challenging to get the needed exercise when living with paralysis. The research reveals that six months of FES cycling can cause a positive impact when it comes to how much oxygen the body consumes per minute per bodyweight (VO2). VO2 is an excellent marker of fitness. It shows that the young people were healthier after taking part in this form of activity-based therapy.
After several years, continued recovery is considered uncommon for chronic incomplete spinal cord injuries. However, a study in Turkey may reveal that FES cycling can overcome those expectations. Ten patients who were more than two years into their chronic incomplete SCI underwent 16 weeks of FES cycling sessions. Total motor skills and oxygen consumption rates both significantly improved. Thus, the study reveals that even in later period SCI recovery, a functional electrical stimulation bike can have significant benefits.
With these three studies in mind, FES cycling is a form of therapy that all activity-based therapy centers should be offering to supplement traditional forms of physical therapy. This is true for both young and old as well as those with new injuries or long-term SCI.
There are two keys to getting the full benefits of activity-based therapy programs. The first is to make your recovery at a facility that uses state of the art technology like a functional electrical stimulation bike. The second is to prepare yourself mentally for the journey so that you stick with your routine, even if advancement seems to be slow at times.
Our eBook, 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to Thrive after Paralysis, can help you with the mental side of the journey. From helping you accept your new set of challenges to encouraging you to reach your goals, many patients find the information invaluable. iAM ABLE is proud to offer this helpful information and to treat SCI survivors at our state of the art facility in Miami, Florida.
Grab our free e-book 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to THRIVE after Paralysis by clicking the image below.
