Helping the Paralyzed to Walk Again
By Banks, Grant; Gizmag,Publication Date: December 8, 2010
Article described a novel method of using electrical stimulation to help patients with stroke regain their mobility. The method is based on the way a person pulls the foot back as a reflex to sudden pain, known as the nociceptive withdrawal reflex. The treatment, called functional electrical therapy, uses electrical stimulation of the withdrawal reflex to trigger a natural reflex such that the leg is pulled up and the foot moves, helping the patient to move the leg even though he or she was partially paralyzed after a stroke. The technique, which won the 2010 Danish Research Result of the Year Award, has been tested with stroke patients at the Neuro-Rehabilitation Center at Vendsyssel Hospital in Broenderslev, Denmark. At the time the article was published, negotiations were underway with an investor interested in providing venture capital to move the research from the laboratory and into rehabilitation centers.
Published by: Gizmag Pty Ltd (Website:http://www.gizmag.com/)
Link to text: http://www.gizmag.com/stroke-rehabilitation-paralyzed-walk/17226/
