Functional electrical stimulation in MS
Salisbury District Hospital
The term Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) describes the use of an electrical stimulator to make daily activity easier in a number of conditions. Stimulators produce electrical impulses which are used to stimulate the nerves in the leg. This causes muscles to contract, even when there are conduction problems from the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. The muscle contraction produces a movement that can be used to help walking.
FES is recommended by the Royal College of Physicians for use with people who have had a stroke. The MS Trust has funded a research project to evaluate its use for people with MS.
The method used was to compare a group of people who had physiotherapy alone with a group who had both physiotherapy and FES.
Results indicated that FES proved to be effective in improving walking for the people with MS who met the trial criteria, particularly in enabling greater distance to be achieved. However, exercise alone also made a significant difference to walking and it was concluded that the combination of these treatments may prove to be a more effective means of improving mobility.
The results of the first study have been published (see below).
A second study is looking at quality of movement as well as speed and effort of walking. The study is also comparing the effects of combining FES and physiotherapy with the effects of giving either treatment in isolation.
There is more information on FES in MS in our factsheet and articles published in the Open Door, the MS Trust's quarterly newsletter.
Published paper
Barrett CL, Mann GE, Taylor PN, Strike P.
A randomized trial to investigate the effects of functional electrical stimulation and therapeutic exercise on walking performance for people with multiple sclerosis.
Multiple Sclerosis 2009;15(4):493-504.
abstract