Spinal Cord Injured Client Using RehaStim to Exercise with a Total Gym

Following spinal cord injury it is essential to exercise and involving the legs is a good way to ensure circulation and fitness are enhanced.  The basic challenge though is that the paralysis that results from injury prevents normal forms of exercise.  We work with the RehaMove FES Cycling system in the UK and this has become very well accepted as an excellent way of exercising at home - using Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) to power the legs in conjunction with a motorised bike. 

Our competitors like to say that they offer the "world's best" - we leave that for others to judge.  The RehaMove system has flexibility on it's side.  In this short clip our partners at Standing Start in Cambridgeshire are using the RehaStim (FES generator) part of our FES cyling system with sequence mode software. 

  

This powerful software allows the user to programme complex sequences of muscle activation that enables very effective use in situations that cant be matched by less sophisticated units.  In this case, a client with a complete lesion is shown exercising on a Total Gym performing leg squats.  The quadriceps muscles are activated by the RehaStim unit through the electrodes placed on the thighs.  The therapist in the picture is stabilising the thighs to prevent lateral movement but the FES system is being used to make the legs extend.

Thanks to our partners at Standing Start for this clip

 

 

 

Comments

[Simone]

We are using the RehaStim on gluts and quads both doing squats on a Total Gym and standing, either in a standing frame or at a squat rack. We are also incorporating into our Project Walk program to do step initiation at the squat rack. Great bit of kit. Helps a complete T9 and L1 injury to both do the movement and to connect mentally into the muscle contraction. This use makes the bike a little boring. The weight bearing and the stim combined is great.