Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
Application of a Dual Upper Limb Task-Oriented Robotic System for the Functional Recovery of the Upper Limb in Stroke Patients
Published on: October 11, 2024
Functional electrical stimulation enhancement of upper extremity functional recovery during stroke rehabilitation: a
Gad Alon1, Alan F Levitt, Patricia A McCarthy
1University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, MD 21201, USA. galon@som.umaryland.edu
Objective:
To test if functional electrical stimulation (FES) can enhance the recovery of upper extremity function during early stroke rehabilitation.
Methods:
Open-label block-randomized trial, begun during inpatient rehabilitation and continued at the patients' home. Patients were assigned to either FES combined with task-specific upper extremity rehabilitation (n = 7) or a control group that received task-specific therapy alone (n = 8) over 12 weeks. Outcome measures . Hand function (Box & Blocks, B & B; Jebsen-Taylor light object lift, J-T) and motor control (modified Fugl-Meyer, mF-M) were video-recorded for both upper extremities at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks.
Results:
B&B mean score at 12 weeks favored (P = .049) the FES group (42.3 +/- 16.6 blocks) over the control group (26.3 +/- 11.0 blocks). The FES group J-T task was 6.7 +/- 2.9 seconds and faster (P = .049) than the 11.8 +/- 5.4 seconds of the control group. Mean mF-M score of the FES group at 12 weeks was 49.3 +/- 5.1 points out of 54, compared to the control group that scored 40.6 +/- 8.2 points (P = .042). All patients regained hand function.
Conclusion:
Upper extremity task-oriented training that begins soon after stroke that incorporates FES may improve upper extremity functional use in patients with mild/moderate paresis more than task-oriented training without FES.
