Therapeutic effect of functional electrical stimulation-triggered gait training corresponding gait cycle for stroke

• FES-triggered gait training of gluteus medius and tibialis anterior can improve balance and gait performance for stroke patients.
• It is valuable to apply FES on tibialis anterior as well as gluteus medius during gait training for stroke patients.
• Clinicians should consider FES-triggered gait training in stance phase to improve the balance and gait performance for stroke patients.

The purpose of this study was to determine the therapeutic effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the gluteus medius and tibialis anterior muscles during the gait cycle in individuals with hemiparetic stroke. Eighteen patients who had suffered a stroke were enrolled in this study. The participants were divided into either the gluteus medius and tibialis anterior (GM + TA) training group (n = 9) or the control group (n = 9). The GM + TA group received FES-triggered gait training to the gluteus medius (GM) in the stance phase and the tibialis anterior (TA) in the swing phase for 30 min, 5 session a week over a 6-week period, and control group who received only gait training without FES-triggered for the same duration of time. A foot-switch sensor was used to trigger the device in the stance (GM) and swing (TA) phases of the gait cycle reciprocally. This study measured three types of outcome measures, including spatiotemporal gait parameters, muscles activities, and balance function. After 6 weeks training, there was a significant improvement in gait velocity, cadence, stride length, and gait symmetry in the GM + TA training group compared to the control group. Dynamic balance function was significantly improved in the GM + TA training group compared to the control group. The mean changeable values of the GM was significantly greater strength in the GM + TA training group than the control group. These findings suggest that FES-triggered gait training of the GM in the stance phase and TA in the swing phase may improve the spatiotemporal parameters of gait in persons with hemiparetic stroke.