This article explores the role of electrical stimulation in the recovery of denervated muscles, detailing its mechanisms, clinical guidelines, and home-based applications. It highlights recent research, current limitations, and future directions, offering insights for medical professionals and patients.

In six, succinct, Thursday lunchtime sessions, we will explore how electrical stimulation techniques can enhance the well-being of individuals with denervated muscles. Whether caused by peripheral nerve injuries or lower motor neuron damage in the spinal cord, forms of electrical stimulation can reverse some of the physiological consequences of denervation.

It's not unusual for us to receive a call from a client with a spinal cord injury or a peripheral nerve injury who has been trying to use a handheld NMES (a form of Functional Electrical Stimulation) product and can't seem to produce a muscle contraction. The reason is likely because the muscle is denervated, and the NMES unit is unsuitable for that application. This article will explain why these units will not be suitable when denervated muscles are present, especially if it has been some time since the injury.

In physical rehabilitation, it is often the case that intensive effort is applied to exploit the natural ability of the body to adapt to the consequences of injury. This property, known as neuroplasticity is not yet fully understood but it at least represents hope that some functional recovery is possible in many cases. In many cases there will remain a functional deficit and ultimately we find ways to compensate for function that cannot be recovered.

The nervous system is a very complex, adaptable structure, that can be disrupted by illness or injury. Rehabilitation strategies to apply in a particular case obviously depend on the nature and extent of injury.

Clinicians might refer to an "upper motor" or "lower motor" lesion when discussing a particular case. What do these terms mean? In this article we review the meaning of these statements and the consequences for rehabilitation. Some of our electrical stimulation products relate to problems with the nervous system and may help to restore or compensate for loss of function following injury or illness. Which products are relevant to these types of lesions?

Let's start by reviewing some aspects of the nervous system.

At Anatomical Concepts, we specialise in treating denervation - a condition where muscles lose their nerve supply. This can result from peripheral nerve injuries or certain spinal cord injuries affecting lower motor neurons. Untreated denervation leads to muscle atrophy, weakening muscles, and reduced ability to contract. However, RISE Stimulator, a device we use, can effectively treat denervation. By transmitting electrical signals directly to the muscle fibers, it bypasses the damaged nerve, preventing atrophy and muscle structural changes. This treatment method can normalize muscle tissue and increase muscle bulk over time. It's best to start soon after injury but can also help those with long-term injuries.

Functional Electrical Stimulation, commonly known as FES, has many practical applications. FES is a widely used, non-invasive treatment technique that applies electrical impulses to weak or paralysed muscles. The idea of using electricity to have a beneficial effect on the body is not new, but it is only with advances in technology in recent years are we starting to see the true potential of this approach for neurorehabilitation and healthcare in general.
The purpose of functional electrical stimulation is usually to generate a useful (functional) muscle contraction; often with the aim of improving function and movement but, depending on the type of stimulation used, an FES device can do much more than that.

In this article we review the topic of FES, some of it's applications and point to some of the devices offered by Anatomical Concepts.