Thursday September 09 , 2010
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Featured Product Video

FES Cycling is a proven method of developing improved cardiovascular fitness and other health benefits following a spinal cord injury, stroke or with MS. This short video is a basic introduction to the features and benefits.

FES Sports Day

This short video celebrates the Second FES Sport Event which was held in Glasgow on the 19th & 20th June 2009. It shows some photographs from the event against a music soundtrack. Hope you like it.

Site Purpose

Guide to FES CyclingThis site has two intentions.  Information about FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) - and in particular FES Cycling.  The second is to offer support and information to our clients. 

If you would like a Guide Document to FES Cycling please Click Here and complete the form or Click the Image to Request a Copy

What is FES Cycling?

FES Cycling is an effective way of keeping fit when, following a spinal cord injury, regular exercise is difficult to get.

This is a therapeutic activity that uses transcutaneous electrical current to initiate muscle contractions of paralysed lower limbs in persons who have sustained a spinal cord injury or been affected by stroke or MS.

The order and strength of the muscle contractions are controlled by computer to generate the power to pedal a stationary cycle. The aim is not to provide passive motion - but to actively engage the muscles to generate muscle strength and improve fitness.

Benefits

Key benefits of FESCycling exercise are as follows:

  • Cardio-pulmonary fitness
  • Rebuild muscle strength and bulk
  • Improve bone density
  • Improve blood circulation
  • Improve intestinal & bladder function
  • Improve response to insulin (diabetes)
  • Decrease limb spasticity
  • Improved feelings of well-being

FES is a useful in many cerebral motor lesions of the lower limbs including Paraplegia/ Spinal Cord Injury and Stroke

Sports Day Gallery

FES Cycling - Fitness after spinal cord injury

Benefits of FES Cycling for Spinal Cord Injury

Research suggests that the benefits that can come from using the RehaMove are

•    Improved cardiovascular health
•    Increased muscle bulk in the muscles of the legs
•    Increased bone density in the lower limbs
•    Reduction of spasticity
•    Lowered risk of pressure sores.
•    Cosmetic benefits

See -
Hunt and Donaldson (2006) – “Regular clinical measurements during the 1-year cycle-training programme showed important improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness, bone density, and muscle bulk and strength”

Check out the bibliography elsewhere on this site.

 

High-volume FES-cycling partially reverses bone loss in people with chronic spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to severe bone loss in the paralysed limbs and to increased fracture Balancing effectrisk.Since long bone fractures can lead to comorbidities and a reduction in quality of life, it is important to improve bone strength in people with chronic SCI.

In this prospective longitudinal cohort study, the authors investigated whether functional electrical stimulation (FES) induced high-volume cycle training can partially reverse the loss of bone substance in the legs after chronic complete SCI.

The authors conclude that high-volume FES-induced cycle training has clinical relevance as it can partially reverse bone loss and thus may reduce fracture risk at this fracture prone site.  

 

Read more: High-volume FES-cycling partially reverses bone loss in people with chronic spinal cord injury.

   

Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Evidence - Document

Readers may be interested in a document available for download from scribd.com.  This sumarises the research evidence for rehabilitation following spinal cord injury.  The document was written based on the state of knowledge in 2005 by a group of Canadian researchers and physicians.  See  http://www.scribd.com/doc/8951639/Spinal-Cord-Injury-Rehabilitation-Evidence

Read more: Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Evidence - Document

   

Reducing Cardiovascular Risk After Spinal Cord Injury

Recent research indicates that people with spinal cord injuries have an increased cardiovascular risk.  It has been suggested that heart disease is the primary cause of death in people with spinal cord injury.  People with a spinal cord injury are more at risk of coronary heart disease for three reasons:

Read more: Reducing Cardiovascular Risk After Spinal Cord Injury

   

More Articles...

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About Us

Anatomical Concepts (UK) Ltd are Masters of Rehabilitation Engineering. Working with private individuals, healthcare professionals, businesses and the NHS since 1996.

See our Corporate Site

Part of Life

Remember this is not a treatment and certainly not a "cure" - but can be a health-giving part of daily life.
This technology assists the client to exercise and receive fitness benefits otherwise not available.

Contact Us

Anatomical Concepts (UK) Ltd
8-10 Dunrobin Court
Clydebank Business Park
Clydebank
Scotland

E: info@fescycling.com
T:+44(0)141-952-2323

Registered in Scotland No SC162409

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