Stroke and incomplete spinal injury – therapy with a tricycle

This research was completed on 30 June 2003

Project Leader	Dr N Donaldson, MA, PhD, CEng, MIEE, MIPEM and Dr M E Fry, BSc (Eng), MSc, PhD.
Location	Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University College London.
Grant awarded	7 November 2002
Start date	1 January 2003
End date	30 June 2003
Grant amount	£16,003.00
Grant code	AP0948

Partial spinal injury and stroke affect over 100,000 people a year in the UK and leaves over a third of patients with difficulties in using their legs. Electrical stimulation of the leg muscles might enable some of these patients to use a specially adapted tricycle. This would give them a form of healthy exercise and may help them recover some lost leg function. These researchers will investigate whether it is possible to detect the patient trying to push the pedals by voluntary effort. In the future, the aim is to study whether recovery is greater if electrical stimulation is given at the same time as the patient is trying to move the pedals. If so, equipment could be designed to assist this process and maximise the recovery. If successful, this cycle training could be carried out at home and offers a valuable new method for improving rehabilitation.