New technology may offer a useful rehabilitation and home exercise tool for
people with tetraplegia
From: News-Medical.Net - 08/02/2005

People affected by paralysis could enjoy more independence, better health and
a higher quality of life thanks to an innovative system designed to improve
fitness and increase arm strength. 

It uses electrical signals to stimulate movement in arm muscles where
function has been lost, making it possible to work an arm-exercise machine
(similar to an exercise bike but worked by the arms). 

This enables people with paralysis to enjoy the health benefits of regular
work-outs. For those with some function in their arms, it also helps them
become strong enough to perform more activities unaided (wheelchair
propulsion, moving from wheelchair to bed/bath, washing and eating etc).
Aimed at people with injuries to the spinal cord, the system may be able to
help those with paralysis caused by strokes or head injuries too. 

This breakthrough is the result of a collaborative project undertaken by
University of Glasgow engineers and Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth National Spinal
Injuries Unit with funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC). A company is now commercialising the research with
a view to a product launch in the coming months. The project team is also
producing a video with EPSRC support to raise awareness of its work among
people with paralysis and the healthcare community. 

Using electrodes placed on the skin, small pulses of electricity are
delivered to the nerves serving the biceps and triceps, replacing signals
from the brain that can no longer reach the nerves. Controlled from a
computer, the signals' timing and strength can be adjusted to suit individual
needs, eg when signs of muscle fatigue become apparent. The arm-exercise
machine is linked into the computer system, enabling the effort needed to
turn the machine to be adjusted. 

Tetraplegic Sean Roake was one of the volunteers who worked with the project
team during the research. His training programme, which consisted of three
20-30 minute sessions per week for several months, resulted in a 450%
increase in muscle strength and a 50% increase in cardiopulmonary fitness. He
says: "Everyday activities such as wheelchair-to-car transfers are so much
easier now. I feel extremely positive knowing that I've taken responsibility
for improving my health by exercising regularly using this system". 

Sylvie Coupaud, Research Assistant on the project and now a clinical
scientist at the Spinal Injuries Unit, says: "By working closely with
consultants at the unit, we identified the need for new exercise options in
spinal cord injury. The technology we developed may offer a useful
rehabilitation and home exercise tool for some people with tetraplegia". 

Read the article at:
http://www.news-medical.net/print_article.asp?id=12205

Links:
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/ 

University of Glasgow
http://www.gla.ac.uk/

Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit
http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/spinalunit/

Electrical Exercise System Gives Paralysis Sufferers Power to Recover Strength
http://fesnet.eng.gla.ac.uk/CRE/mainpage.html
http://www.gla.ac.uk:443/newsdesk/pressreleases/stories.cfm?PRID=3581
http://www.talentscotland.com/view_item.aspx?item_id=3484&list_id=list1-4&list_index=4

Sylvie Coupaud 
http://www.mech.gla.ac.uk/People/vcard.html?PersonID=197

Contributed by Jamie Prioli