Muscle Delay Characterization
Condition: Neurological Disorders
MeSH terms: Nervous System Diseases
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Functional electrical stimulation (FES) induced cycling is a common rehabilitative therapy.
      Closed-loop FES control holds the promise to improve rehabilitation procedures. However, FES
      results in a delay between the time of stimulation and muscle contraction and rapidly
      fatigues muscle. The purpose of this study is to measure the FES-induced delay on an FES
      cycle and to understand how the delay varies as a function of how long the user has been
      cycling and a function of the crank angle.
    

Detailed description: 
      This study will use non-invasive approaches (surface electrodes, encoders, torque meters,
      motors) to study muscle delay and how muscle fatigues for both individuals possessing
      movement disorders and healthy individuals. Individuals with movement disorders are often
      susceptible to partial or total paralysis. This paralysis often leads to an increasingly
      sedentary lifestyle. By implementing the intelligent closed-loop control of FES-cycling,
      FES-therapy can be made more effective, combating the effects of sedentary lifestyles. Using
      data obtained from non-invasive sensors, the study team will apply analytical techniques to
      quantify FES muscle delay and how well individuals can track a desired cadence as the muscle
      fatigues. A challenge associated with FES-induced cycling is that there exists a delay
      between the time when FES is applied and the time when the muscle contracts. There is
      likewise a delay between the time FES is removed and the time the muscle ceases to contract.
      Previous studies have measured this delay and determined that it varies with fatigue. A goal
      of this project is to measure this delay on an FES-cycle and to determine how this delay
      varies as a result of FES-induced cycling. Another goal is to determine what effect the crank
      angle has on the delay as well as on the muscle control effectiveness. This study will
      provide insight into how engineering can be combined with healthcare and therapy to better
      both fields and bridge the gap between engineering and medicine.
    

Intervention name(s): Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Control Protocol; Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Angle Protocol
Intervention type(s): Device; Device
Intervention description(s): To measure the delay, the motor will take the tricycle crank to pre-specified angles and then hold that position while various combinations of the quadriceps femoris and the gluteal muscle groups are stimulated in study participants.; To determine the effect of the crank angle on the FES delay and the muscle control effectiveness, the crank is positioned at a pre-specified angle, with various muscle groups being stimulated while holding this position. The motor then takes the crank to another angle and the process is repeated.
Other intervention name(s): FES modified TerraTrike Rover recumbent tricycle; FES modified TerraTrike Rover recumbent tricycle
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: functional electrical stimulation; rehabilitation