Camacho-Zavala JK, Perez-Medina AL, Mercado-Gutierrez JA, Gutierrez MI, Gutierrez-Martinez J, Aguirre-Güemez AV, Quinzaños-Fresnedo J, Perez-Orive J. Personalized protocol and scoring scale for functional electrical stimulation of the hand: A pilot feasibility study.
Technol Health Care 2022;
30:51-63. [PMID:
34397438 DOI:
10.3233/thc-213016]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Complex personalized Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) protocols for calibrating parameters and electrode positioning have been proposed, most being time-consuming or technically cumbersome for clinical settings. Therefore, there is a need for new personalized FES protocols that generate comfortable, functional hand movements, while being feasible for clinical translation.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a personalized FES protocol, comprising electrode placement and parameter selection, to generate hand opening (HO), power grasp (PW) and precision grip (PG) movements, and compare in a pilot feasibility study its performance to a non-personalized protocol based on standard FES guidelines.
METHODS
Two FES protocols, one personalized (P1) and one non-personalized (P2), were used to produce hand movements in twenty-three healthy participants. FES-induced movements were assessed with a new scoring scale which comprises items for selectivity, functionality, and comfort.
RESULTS
Higher FES-HSS scores were obtained with P1 for all movements: HO (p= 0.00013), PW (p= 0.00007), PG (p= 0.00460). Electrode placement time was significantly shorter for P2 (p= 0.00003). Comfort scores were similar for both protocols.
CONCLUSIONS
The personalized protocol for electrode placement and parameter selection enabled functional FES-induced hand movements and presented advantages over a non-personalized protocol. This protocol warrants further investigation to confirm its suitability for developing upper-limb rehabilitation interventions with clinical translational potential.
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