Effect of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) on Reactive Balance, Gait and Fall-risk in Individuals with Stroke
Methods: Twenty individuals with chronic stroke will be asked to perform an experimental protocol that includes a postural disturbance in the form of a slip- or trip-like perturbation and a standardized walking test in both laboratory and outdoor environments with and without FES applied to different lower limb muscles of the paretic leg. FES will be applied using an advanced software that is able to synchronize muscle activation with the time of perturbation onset and according to the phases of gait. This project design aims to examine whether a specific pattern of lower limb muscle stimulation could improve the kinematic and behavioral responses during reactive balance following slip- and trip-like perturbations. Additionally, the project aims to see if the kinematic and spatio-temporal gait parameters can be modified during a standardized walking test under different sensory and environmental conditions.
⁃ Age group: 18-90 years.
• Presence of hemiparesis.
• Onset of stroke (\> 6 months).
• Ability to walk independently with or without an assistive device for at least 300 ft.
• Can understand and communicate in English.
• Cognitively and behaviorally capable of complying with the regimen (Montreal Cognitive Assessment \> 25/30).