Muscle Fatigue Reduction due to Electrical Stimulation

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is a commonly prescribed technology for restoration of limb function and muscular rehabilitation. FES works by artificially stimulating muscle fibers to generate a contraction. However, one of the main issues with the use of FES is the rapid onset of muscle fatigue, which makes it difficult to perform long-term periodic motions such as walking. Recent research has shown methods successful at mitigating the impact of muscle fatigue using multiple electrodes. Instead of using the traditional approach of two FES pads targeting a specific muscle group, this study will use multiple electrodes and cycles the order in which the electrodes are stimulating thus targeting specific muscles within the muscle group and reducing the muscle fatigue. However, how to optimize the current through multiple electrodes is not known yet. This study will help determine the optimization of multiple electrodes for reducing fatigue.