FES Functional Electrical Stimulation for Foot Drop
Millions of Americans are affected by foot drop, either directly or indirectly. Until now the solutions offered for Foot drop were limited to accomodative devices that stop the toes from dragging. Foot drop is a symptom or result of a larger problem, and FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) devices do far more than accomodate foot drop, they treat it. Foot drop is a result of an interuption or severance of the communication path between the brain and the nerves and muscles of the leg.
Function Electrical Stimulators re neuroprosthetic devices that bypass the brain's communication to the leg and tell the muscles to contract. This lifts the foot and allows a more natural gait. FES devices are by far the best equipment choice for patients with foot drop. Functional Electrical Stimulation combined with Physical Therapy yields the best possible long term results.
At OrthoMedics, we offer two different FES Systems. The Bioness L300 and the Walkaide are the leading FES units available today. Both units offer improved walking ability to those suffering from foot drop, while offering different features that can improve the overall experience of the user.
Anyone interested in using Functional Electrical Stimulation to treat foot drop should try it to see if it is a functional solution for them. Both the Ness L300 and the Walkaide are available for extended home trials from OrthoMedics. We are not sales representatives for either company, we are clinicians interested in discovering which foot drop treatment best fits the demands of your life.