COMPARING FOUR ELECTRICAL STIMULATORS WITH DIFFERENT PULSES PROPERTIES AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE DISCOMFORT AND ELICITED DORSIFLEXION

Objective : To test the perceived comfort and efficiency of four functional electrical stimulators (FES). Design : The stimulators were applied over the dorsiflexors (DF) of 28 healthy volunteers. Electronic goniometers monitored changes in electrically-induced DF. Stimulus intensity was increased until ful l DF occurred or until the subject requested the stimulation stop before full DF. All data were stored on an oscillo- scope. Subjects marked on visual analog scales their perceived amount of tingling, pins-needles-burn ing sensation, and muscle cramping. Data analyses were applied to the amount of dorsiflexion (deg), phas e charge (μC), tingling perception, pins-needle-burning perception and muscle cramps perception. Significant differences were accepted at p