Comparing preference related to comfort in torque-matched muscle contractions between two different types of functional electrical stimulation pulses in able-bodied participants

Abstract

Context/Objective Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is commonly used in rehabilitation to generate electrically-induced muscle contractions. FES has been shown to assist in the recovery of voluntary motor functions after stroke or spinal cord injury. However, discomfort associated with FES can motivate patients to withdraw their participation from FES therapy despite its benefits. To address this issue, a functional electrical stimulator, called MyndMove™ (MyndTec Inc., Canada), has been developed to generate more comfortable contractions than conventional stimulators. Design Cross-sectional, interventional, with two treatment arms. Setting A laboratory within a rehabilitation center. Participants Twelve able-bodied participants. Intervention FES delivered with two different stimulators, MyndMove™ and Compex Motion (Compex, Switzerland), during muscle contractions of high, moderate and low stimulation intensity. Outcome Measures Comfort-related preference to a given stimulator and the discomfort score rated through a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-101) for both stimulators. Results Participants perceived a reduction in discomfort during high-intensity stimulation generated using MyndMove™. In addition, MyndMove™ stimulations were preferred in 60% of all contractions. The reduction in discomfort associated with MyndMove™ might be due the fact that MyndMove™ delivers less charge to generate contractions of equivalent intensity, compared to Compex Motion. Conclusion Reducing discomfort during FES may help in generating stronger and more clinically useful contractions, increasing accessibility of FES therapy to include individuals with low tolerance to FES.

Development of an Aerogel-Based Wet Electrode for Functional Electrical Stimulation

“…To test the new aerogel electrodes, we compared both torque and comfort levels with standard self-adhesive hydrogel electrodes [28], [29]. We used the Biodex dynamometer (System 3, Biodex Medical Systems, USA) to measure the torque generated during an isometric elbow flexion.…”

Manipulating facial musculature with functional electrical stimulation as an intervention for major depressive disorder: a focused search of literature for a proposal

“…Although these parameters were well-tolerated by participants, further studies are required to determine the optimal stimulation parameters for facial muscles. Importantly, factors such as the stimulator (e.g., rise time of the stimulation), electrodes, and waveforms may also affect comfort and amplitude of the delivered current required for muscle activation [ 102 , 103 ].…”