Comparison of percutaneous and surface functional electrical stimulation during gait in a child with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

The purpose of this brief report was to compare the immediate effects of surface functional electrical stimulation (S-FES) and percutaneous functional electrical stimulation (P-FES) of the tibialis anterior applied during gait in a child with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. A three-dimensional gait analysis was conducted while an 11-yr-old girl with right hemiplegia walked with S-FES, P-FES, and no stimulation. The results indicated that both P-FES and S-FES increased dorsiflexion at initial contact, peak dorsiflexion in swing, and mean dorsiflexion in swing compared with walking without stimulation. The increase in dorsiflexion was greater with P-FES as compared with S-FES. Ankle absorption work was improved with both types of stimulation, whereas ankle generation work increased only with P-FES. This report suggests that S-FES and P-FES may have different immediate effects on gait due to issues such as muscle contraction strength, sensory feedback, and control systems for stimulation.