Gait Rehabilitation Using Functional Electrical Stimulation

Abstract

Stroke is the number one cause of disability. Difficulty with walking affects most stroke survivors. The focus of this project is to understand the effects of different methods (such as treadmill walking and electrical stimulation) that can be used to improve walking in people with stroke. In this study, patients with stroke and healthy people who have not had a stroke will be tested. Study participants will take part in walking evaluation and training sessions. Walking patterns will be measured using automatic cameras and standard clinical tests. Also, magnetic brain stimulation maybe used to measure brain‐muscle connections, and muscle stimulation may be used to measure spinal‐cord circuits during the training. This research will provide information on how different factors that affect walking in stroke change with walking training. The investigators hypothesize that improvements in brain excitability of the muscles targeted by walking training will occur after training, and these changes in brain excitability will be related to improvements in walking patterns. By improving our understanding of walking rehabilitation, this study can help improve walking function and disability in people with stroke.