功能性電刺激 (FES) Functional Electrical Stimulation ... | 合法醫療器材資訊網

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) applies small electrical pulses to paralyzed muscles to restore or improve their function.

FES is commonly used for exercise, but also to assist with breathing, grasping, transferring, standing and walking. It can also lead to improved bladder and bowel function. There’s even evidence that FES may reduce the frequency of pressure sores and urinary tract infections.

The excitement around FES technology really sparked in 1983 when Nan Davis, a paraplegic student at Wright State University, got out of her wheelchair and “walked” to get her diploma. She was powered by an FES system and inspired a TV movie called “First Steps.”

The Wright State technology soon emerged commercially in the form of a stationary bicycle called the Regys in which users pedal the bike using FES-stimulated leg muscles. Researchers soon noted that this form of FES provides real aerobic exercise in people who otherwise can’t move on their own, boosting...