A comparison of functional electrical and magnetic stimulation for propelled cycling of paretic patients.

OBJECTIVE

To compare isometric torque and cycling power, smoothness and symmetry using repetitive functional magnetic stimulation (FMS) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) in patients with paretic legs with preserved sensibility and in patients without sensibility.

DESIGN

Repeated-measures design.

SETTING

Laboratory setting.

PARTICIPANTS

Eleven subjects with complete spinal cord injury (SCI) and 29 subjects with chronic hemiparesis (16.6+/-5.5mo poststroke) volunteered.

INTERVENTIONS: Using a tricycle testbed, participants were exposed to isometric measurements and ergometric cycling experiments, performed during both 20Hz FMS and FES stimulation. Subjects with hemiparesis and with complete SCI were stimulated at maximally tolerable level and maximal intensity, respectively.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maximal isometric pedaling torque and mean ergometric power, smoothness, and symmetry were recorded for voluntary, FES, and FMS conditions.

RESULTS

Two different patterns of the efficacy of FMS were identified. (1) Patients with complete SCI did not benefit (less torque and power was evoked with FMS than with FES, P<.003 and 10(-4) respectively). (2) Patients with hemiplegia and preserved sensibility could improve their torque output (P<.05), smoothness, and symmetry of pedaling (P<.05) with FMS more than with FES.

CONCLUSIONS

FMS is a potential alternative to surface FES of the large thigh musculature in stimulation-supported cycling of patients with partially or completely preserved sensibility.