11 th Annual Conference of the International FES Society September 2006 – Zao, Japan Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation Combined with Task- Oriented Movements for Hemiplegic Hand Function Chung YJ 1,2 , Lee YH 1 , Kim Y 2 1 Wonju College of Medicine, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Republic of Korea 2 Department of Rehabilitation Therapy, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Republic of Korea nobility3004@hotmail.com Abstract This study examined whether functional electrical stimulation (FES)-assisted task- oriented training approach could improve hand function in two subjects with stroke. Test measurement included Box and Block test, detaching velcro pegboard, moving the cone from one side to the other, and median frequency of extensor digitorum muscles during cones task – all as many as possible in 1 minute. Two pretest, one posttest measurements occurred. Training consisted of 20 sessions of cones task during the 30 minute with FES. A FES stimulator was used to assist hand opening. Data were analyzed by visual inspection and by statistical analysis that examined whether posttest measurements exceeded the mean of the two pretess by at least two standard deviations on at least two consecutive posttest measurements. Posttest results showed that the hand function improved statistically in Box and Block test, detaching velcro pegboard task, and moving the cone task. Median frequency of extensor digitorum muscle showed increased statistically after training. We concluded that FES-assisted task-oriented training approach produced training effects in hand function and muscle recruitment. 1. INTRODUCTION Hemiplegia is one of the most common forms of impairments in adults. Many studies addressed the efficacy of the Functional electrical stimulation (FES)-assisted training in the recovery of hand function in patients with neurological disabilities such as tetraplegics [1]. It has been reported that many patients who use FES on a regular basis experience significant carry-over in function that persists although patients did not use devices [2]. Popovic et al. study also reported better recovery of hand function in the group that performed the FES- assisted task-oriented training, compared with that of the non-FES group [3]. The purpose of this study was to examine effects of a FES- assisted task-oriented training on motor function of the hemiplegic hand. 2. METHODS 2.1. Subjects A 37-year old female patient who had right hemiplegia for the 23 months post-stroke. The stroke lesion was locate at the left intracerebral hemisphere hemorrhage. Her cognition was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)[4] on which she scored 30 out of 30. The strength of the extensor muscles of the fingers of her affected hand was trace in Manual Muscle Testing (MMT). A 52-year old male patient who developed left hemiplegia characterized by intracerbral hemorrhage 9 months ago. He showed MMSE score of 28 out of a total of 30. The strength of the extensor muscles of the fingers of his affected hand was poor in MMT. 2.2. Intervention Subjects were administered their respective therapies for 4 weeks, 5 days per week, one session per day, and 30 min per session. Electrical stimulation was applied to extensor digitorum and activated by a hand switch (Figure 1). By pressing a switch, the patients commanded hand opening. Once the neuroprosthesis applies to artificially generated muscle movement required to perform grasping and releasing tasks of moving cone from one side to the other The FES intervention was highly customized so that releasing was optimized throughout the task. The participant was asked to repeat the same hand task 150~200 times during a 30 minute treatment session. 2.3. Stimulation Parameters Stimulation parameters that were used in these trials were 1) asymmetric biphasic, current- – 154 –