Effects of Dual-Channel Functional Electrical Stimulation on
Gait Performance in Patients with Hemiparesis
Christina Bates, Kristy Hardy, Laurey Long, Lan Sutton
South University- Savannah
PTA 1001: Introduction to Physical Therapy Assistant
Dr. Bukoskey There are an estimated 6.5 million stroke survivors in the country. Twenty percent of stroke survivors suffer from foot drop, the inability to raise the foot (WLS-TV Chicago, 2010). Lower limb hemiparesis and foot drop affects gait, which can have an impact on normal daily activities. One of the main goals of patients with hemiparesis is to be able to walk independently and return to their normal activities. Physical therapists know that poor gait from ankle and /or knee joint problems can affect the pelvis, lower back, spine and neck as the body tries to compensate for the defective gait. Using electrical stimulation to treat hemiparesis and foot drop can help a patient achieve functional gait and return to their normal activities.
Hemiparesis that affects the peroneal nerve preventing dorsiflexors muscles from lifting the toes up when walking causes the toes to drag, impairing gait. Hemiparesis can also affect the knee flexor and extensor muscles which are important for “shock absorption, assisting with foot clearance and balance control” (Sadeghi, H. et al., 2002, p. 51). Physical therapists know that poor gait can affect the pelvis, lower back, spine and neck as the body tries to compensate for unilateral weakness of the lower limbs. The sooner a patient can achieve normal gait the less likely they are to suffer permanent damage and the quicker they can return to their normal lives and activity levels.
There are three main physical therapy treatments for foot drop:...
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... component analysis, The Knee, 9(1), 47-53.
Retrieved from: http://www.sciencedirect.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/ science/article/pii/S096801600100134X
Springer, S., Vatine, J., Lipson, R., Wolf, A., Laufer, Y., (2012), Effects of dual-channel functional electrical stimulation on gait performance in patients with hemiparesis, The Scientific World Journal, 2012(5), article ID 530906, doi:10.1100/2012/530906
Winchester, P., Montgomery, J., Bowman, B., & Hislop, H. (1983). Effect of feedback stimulation training and cyclical electrical stimulation on knee extension in hemiparetic patients, Physical Therapy Journal, 63(7), 1096-1103. http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/63/7/1096.full.pdf+html WLS-TV Chicago (2010). Fixing foot drop, WLS-TV Chicago. Retrieved from http:// www.stroke.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9472&news_iv_ctrl=-
warm) in the left upper and lower extremities; decreased strength and movement of the right upper and lower extremities and of the left abdominal muscles; lack of triceps and biceps reflexes in the right upper extremity; atypical response of patellar, Achilles (hyper) reflexes in the right lower extremity; abnormal cremasteric reflex in the right groin; fracture in cervical vertebrae #7; and significant swelling in the C7-T12 region of the spinal canal (Signs and symptoms, n.d.). The objective complaint of a severe headache could also be consistent with a spinal cord injury (Headache, nausea, and vomiting,
Studies have shown taping an ankle can limit range of motion if done correctly.1, 5 Another study done by Reut...
A doctor might recommend physical therapy to strength the muscles around the ankle, foot and lower leg.
Tilikete, C., Rode, G., Rossetti, Y., Pichon, J., Ling, L., & Boisson, D. (2001). Prism adaptation to rightward optical deviation improves postural imbalance in left-hemiparetic patients. Current Biology, 524-528.
The effects of multiple disabilities are often both multiplicative and interactive. Cerebral Palsy is a disability that originates from damage to the central nervous system, but which is often accompanied by sensory, communication, orthopedic, learning and cognitive abilities. The complex nature of cerebral palsy is related to differences in causation and the nature and degree of motor involvement. In this paper, Cerebral Palsy will be defined and described, followed by discussion of conditions that frequently occur with this disability. A description of the impact of cerebral palsy on physical and communication development will also be discussed.
insurance coverage is important and can be obtained through government sources, employer benefit programs, or private providers.)
Epilepsy, also known as “seizure disorder,” or “seizure attack,” is the fourth most common neurological disorder known to mankind, affecting an estimated 2.3 million adults and 467,711 children in the United States. Unfortunately this disorder is becoming far more common and widespread worldwide. This staggering number of cases of people suffering from Epilepsy also involves an average growth rate of 150,000 new cases each year in the United States alone. Generally, many of the people who develop who are a part of the new are mainly either young children or older adults. Your brain communicates through chemical and electrical signals that are all specialized for specific tasks. However, through the process of communication, chemical messengers, also known as neurotransmitters can suddenly fail, resulting in what is known as a seizure attack. Epilepsy occurs when a few too many brain cells become excited, or activated simultaneously, so that the brain cannot function properly and to it’s highest potential. Epilepsy is characterized when there is an abnormal imbalance in the chemical activity of the brain, leading to a disruption in the electrical activity of the brain. This disruption specifically occurs in the central nervous system (CNS), which is the part of the nervous system that contains the brain and spinal cord. This causes an interruption in communication between presynaptic neurons and postsynaptic neurons; between the axon of one neuron, the message sender and the dendrite of another neuron, the message recipient. Consequently, the effects that epileptic seizures may induce may range anywhere from mild to severe, life-threatening ramifications and complications. There are many different types of seizures associa...
This source states that women living with epilepsy seem to face different issues than males with epilpesy do. The source states that the two sex hormones inside a woman's body, progesterone and estrogen, play a role in influencing seizures as both of these hormones interact with brain cells. Usually, there are equal amounts of progesterone and estrogen inside a woman's body. However, the problem occurs when the balance of these becomes unequal. It explains that estrogen is an excitatory hormone which basically means that it "makes brain cells give off more of an electrical charge". Prosgesterone, however, is an inhibitory hormone, meaning that it calms the cells - that have been electrically charged by the estrogen - down. The problem arises when the body starts producing more estrogen than progesterone which "can make the nervous system excitable" and can make a woman with epilepsy more exposed to seizures. The source emphasises that a change in hormones don't cause the seizures but they are able to inluence the occurence of seizures. About 10% - 12% of women (with epilepsy) have catamenial epilepsy which means that their seizures are directly affected by their menstrual cycle. The seizures tend to occur when a lot of estrogen is present during the body such as during ovulation. For some others, the seizures can occur when the progesterone levels in the body drop such as during menstruation. It is said that as many as" 40% of menstrual cycles in women with epilepsy do not release an egg" and that women with epilepsy generally produce eggs less often than the normal ...
This paper is going to discuss the condition Epilepsy. Epilepsy is defined as a disorder of the brain characterized by the recurrence of unprovoked seizures (Shorvon, 2009). Epilepsy starts in your brain, the brain is like a computer, it is made up of a mass of cells, called neurons, which connect to each other in very complicated ways (Routh, 2004). Electrical messages are constantly being passed from one neuron to another down nerves to the muscles in the body (Mair, 2004). If a person has epilepsy, these cells sometimes send a sudden, unexpected burst of electrical impulses, which causes a seizure (Routh, 2004). When the seizure finishes the brain behaves normally again. For some people with epilepsy these seizures happen every day. For others they may happen only once or twice a year (Routh, 2004). There are over 40 different types of seizure and each person is slightly different, but there are a few common types (Routh, 2004). Generalized seizures which affect the whole brain and partial seizures which affect a small part of the brain (Miller, 2013). The most common types of ge...
Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures,1 and by the neurobiological, cognitive, psychological and social consequences of this condition. An epileptic seizure is a brief disturbance of consciousness, behavior, emotion, motor function, or sensation that is due to abnormal electrical discharge in the brain.2 In partial-onset epilepsy, these bursts of electrical activity are initially focused in specific areas of the brain, but may become more generalized, with symptoms varying according to the affected areas. Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition in the UK.3 The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated its prevalence to be affecting approximately 5-8 per 1000 people.4 Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are the major therapeutic option. Over a dozens of AEDs are introduced in the last 2 decades (Table 1.1). Between 1990 and 2011, 15 new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). These drugs are Eslicarbazepine ace...
Stroke is a commonly known disease that is often fatal. This cellular disease occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by either a blood clot halting the progress of blood cells in an artery, called an Ischemic stroke, or a blood vessel in the brain bursting or leaking causing internal bleeding in the brain, called a hemorrhagic stroke. When this happens, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients because the blood cells carrying these essential things are stopped, causing them to die. When the cells in the brain die, sensation or movement in a limb might be cut off and may limit an organism’s abilities. A person with stroke is affected depending on where in the brain the stroke occurs. In other words, symptoms of a stroke
My grandfather's stroke affected his legs and his memory, which made it difficult for him to walk. My grandfather first used a cane, but his legs became too weak, so he tried a walker, but this lasted only a month. Not only could he not walk or take care of himself, but also he began to stay up at night and fall out of bed.
Hemiplegia, a condition in which one-half of a patient's body is paralyzed usually results from stroke or cerebrovascular accident. Individuals affected by hemiplegia have difficulty dealing with frustration, swallowing, walking, forming words, dressing, feeding self and bowel/urine incontinence. Quality of life from the individual’s own perspective is paramount because hemiplegia leads to self denial, self care deficit and need for minimal to total dependence. Therefore the goal of treatment is to help the individual reach his or her fullest potential for independence, functioning and accepting who they are as individuals.
Patients with hemiplegia caused by a stroke show decreased limb sense and sensory movement due to weakening of the muscles; these problems cause difficulties in posture and tasks such as wearing clothes, eating and self-management18). BIA is reliable, non-invasive method, has high reproducibility, safe and easy-to-use.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a medically complicated and life-disrupting condition. It is a traumatic event that often occurs unexpectedly. The effects are immediate which creates so many dysfunctions in an individual’s life. Multiple challenges exist with the unexpected changes and losses associated with such an injury. Individuals can become limited in their ability to participate in activities due to their SCI, and consequently become socially isolated.