The review article summarizes results from studies with functional electrical stimulation (FES) in neurorehabilitation. In neurorehabilitation, FES is used mostly for therapeutic improvement of the swing phase of the gait cycle by stimulation of dorsal flexor muscles.
For this review article, 510 papers were screened and 42 papers were eligible for a more detailed analysis. Based on the available studies, it seems that FES may constitute an enrichment of traditional therapeutic practice (such as exercise based on neurophysiological principles, gait and balance training).
In some patients, FES may result in improved functional status rather than conventional therapy.