Muscle Stimulation

March 18, 2009

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM MOVEMENT DISORDERS COULD SOON GET A LITTLE JOLT TO HELP MOVE THEM. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCHERS ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE NEUROMUSCULAR ELECTRICAL STIMULATION. THE TECHNIQUE SENDS AN ELECTRICAL SOURCE INTO THE MUSCLE OF A LITTLE-USED OR PARALYZED LIMB, ALLOWING IT TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT.

Warren Dixon/UF mechanical engineer: “It’s like the six-pack, ‘As Seen On TV’ six-pack abs where you can put the electrodes on your stomach and wake up with this amazing cut stomach, so it’s the same kind of principle as that where you just apply a voltage to a muscle.”

AS THE CURRENT FORCES THE LEG’S MUSCLE TO MOVE, A COMPUTER RECORDS THE VOLTAGE USED TO CAUSE THE MOVEMENT. RESULTS SHOW THE CURRENT METHOD CAN IMPROVE MOBILITY, BUT SOMETIMES THE MUSCLES RECEIVE TOO MUCH VOLTAGE AND BECOME QUICKLY WORN-OUT.

Warren Dixon/UF mechanical engineer: “Techniques that they use now, maybe it fatigues the muscle very quickly, so maybe they can only take 10 steps or 20 steps, but with more precisely controlled stimulation, maybe they will be able to take 50 or 100 steps and prolong the rehabilitation session.”

AND EACH STEP GETS PATIENTS CLOSER TO A MORE ACTIVE LIFE.