Poster 1: Joint and Clinical Studies

Margo C. Donlin; Jill S. Higginson, PhD

University of Delaware

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States, often resulting in physical impairments like hemiparesis. Hemiparesis to the lower leg commonly causes foot drop and decreased forward propulsion, leading to reduced mobility and poor overall health. Rehabilitation protocols often use functional electrical stimulation (FES) to augment muscle function in the lower leg and restore mobility, but only some participants experience meaningful improvements in foot drop and forward propulsion. To address these limitations, we developed a novel adaptive FES (AFES) system that adjusts the stimulation amplitude at every stride to target subject-specific impairments and deliver optimal stimulation. At each stride, the AFES system measures real-time ankle dorsiflexion angle and forward propulsion, then compares these variables to a healthy reference value. If the error between the real-time and reference values is large, the stimulation amplitude to that muscle group will increase to promote healthier gait. Upcoming experiments with individuals post-stroke will validate that the stimulation amplitude changes as prescribed and compare the effects of the AFES system to the existing FES system. The goal of these experiments is to develop and validate a novel post-stroke gait rehabilitation tool that addresses individual-specific impairments and improves functional walking outcomes.

Research Area: Rehabilitation & Treatment