KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network, Toronto, ON M4P 1E4, Canada.
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada.
Sensors (Basel). 2022 Feb 25;22(5):1813. doi: 10.3390/s22051813.
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) during rowing has substantial effects on cardiovascular health in individuals with spinal cord injuries. Currently, manual stimulation control where stimulation is operated by rowers is mostly utilized. However, it takes time to obtain the skill to initiate FES at the optimal timing. The purpose of this study was to develop a coaching system that helps rowers to initiate FES at the optimal timing.
The optimal range for FES application was identified based on the electromyography of the left quadriceps in 10 able-bodied individuals (AB). Then, the effects of the coaching system on the timing of button-pressing, power, and work were investigated in 7 AB.
Vastus lateralis (VL) activation began consistently before the seat reached the anterior-most position. Therefore, seat position at the onset of VL was used as the variable to control the switch timing in the coaching system. The results revealed significantly higher power and work outputs in the coaching than the no-coaching condition (median power coaching: 19.10 W, power no-coaching: 16.48 W, = 0.031; median work coaching: 109.74 J, work no-coaching: 65.25 J, = 0.047).
The coaching system can provide the optimal timing for FES, resulting in improved performance.
功能性电刺激（FES）在划船过程中对脊髓损伤患者的心血管健康有显著影响。目前，主要使用由划桨者手动进行刺激控制的方法。然而，要掌握在最佳时机启动 FES 的技能需要时间。本研究的目的是开发一种教练系统，帮助划桨者在最佳时机启动 FES。
根据 10 名健全个体（AB）左股四头肌的肌电图确定 FES 应用的最佳范围。然后，在 7 名 AB 中研究了教练系统对按键时机、功率和功的影响。
股外侧肌（VL）的激活始终在座椅到达最前位置之前开始。因此，在教练系统中，将 VL 起始时的座椅位置用作控制开关时间的变量。与无教练条件相比，教练条件下的功率和功输出显著更高（中位功率教练：19.10 W，功率无教练：16.48 W， = 0.031；中位功教练：109.74 J，功无教练：65.25 J， = 0.047）。
教练系统可以提供 FES 的最佳时机，从而提高表现。
