Functional Electrical Stimulation

About Functional Electrical Stimulation

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) uses electrical impulses to initiate muscle contractions. This is great news for individuals who have difficulty generating their own muscle contractions! A little assistance may be all they need to get up and going, which is exactly the purpose of FES. The Cionic Neural Sleeve times the delivery of FES based on the user’s gait cycle and senses when each muscle needs to contract to assist with walking.

There are three parameters available when determining your settings:

Frequency

Stimulation is delivered in pulses that are measured in Hertz (Hz), or number of pulses per second. This setting relates to comfort and effectiveness. Higher frequencies do not result in more stimulation. This setting is available in Basic Mode and Advanced Mode.

Pulse Width

Each individual stimulation pulse turns on and off within a very short time and is measured in microseconds. This setting relates to the depth of the muscle contraction (a lower pulse width may produce a weaker contraction while a higher pulse width may produce a stronger contraction). This setting is only available in Advanced Mode.

Intensity

Each individual stimulation pulse has a magnitude or strength, measured in milliamps (mA). This setting relates to the strength of the muscle contraction. This setting is only available in Advanced Mode.

Helpful Tips

Tip 01 /

After you make changes to your stimulation settings and try to enter your “gait protocol” you will be asked if you would like to save these settings. We suggest that you do! Our Mobility Specialists will also take notes during your set up and we can provide you with the parameters from your onboarding appointment at any time.

Tip 02 /

To learn more about adjusting FES parameters to get the desired muscle contraction, visit the page about Dorsiflexion.

User Manual Content

Learn more about FES