Effect of an EMG–FES Interface on Ankle Joint Training Combined with Real-Time Feedback on Balance and Gait in Patients with Stroke Hemiparesis

You'll have to have your doctor contact them and get the protocol used. 

 Effect of an EMG–FES Interface on Ankle JointTraining Combined with Real-Time Feedback onBalance and Gait in Patients with Stroke Hemiparesis

Subeen Bae 1, 

Jin Lee 1 

and Byoung-Hee Lee 2,*
1 Graduate School of Physical Therapy, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Korea;
baesubeen@naver.com (S.B.); leejin87@hanmail.net (J.L.)
2 Department of Physical Therapy, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Korea
* Correspondence: 3679@syu.ac.kr; Tel.: +82-2-3399-1634
Received: 2 August 2020; Accepted: 21 August 2020; Published: 24 August 2020




Abstract: 

This study evaluated the effects of an electromyography–functional electrical stimulationinterface (EMG–FES interface) combined with real-time balance and gait feedback on ankle jointtraining in patients with stroke hemiplegia. Twenty-six stroke patients participated in this study. All subjects were randomly assigned to either the EMG–FES interface combined with real-timefeedback on ankle joint training (RFEF) group (n = 13) or the EMG–FES interface on ankle jointtraining (EF) group (n = 13). Subjects in both groups were trained for 20 min a day, 5 times a week,for 4 weeks. Similarly, all participants underwent a standard rehabilitation physical therapy for 60 mina day, 5 times a week, for 4 weeks. The RFEF group showed significant increases in weight-bearing lunge test (WBLT), Tardieu Scale (TS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS),velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, stance per, and swing per (p < 0.05). Likewise, the EFgroup showed significant increases in WBLT, TUG, BBS, velocity, and cadence (p < 0.05). Moreover,the RFEF group showed significantly greater improvements than the EF group in terms of WBLT,Tardieu Scale, TUG, BBS, velocity, step length, stride length, stance per, and swing per (p < 0.05).Ankle joint training using an EMG–FES interface combined with real-time feedback improved anklerange of motion (ROM), muscle tone, balance, and gait in stroke patients. These results suggest that an EMG–FES interface combined with real-time feedback is feasible and suitable for ankle jointtraining in individuals with stroke.