FES results

[Jeff Weeks]

BTW, I wanted to state the obvious. You cannot pedal on the highest resistance until you have pedaled for a while.

If you normally pedal at 0/8 or 1/8 resistance..... then try ending each ride with a rest and then 2 minutes on level 3/8. Just to add muscle bulk. The added bulk will also improve your endurance at lower resistances. Then just work your way up.

As you gain muscle mass, the electricity will dissipate over a larger area/volume... causing stronger contractions with less pain. It just feels more natural than the jerky motion you will experience when you first start out.

So...... if you already have a bike...... keep it up!

My routine:

1) 60" on level 0. It's a great warmup, great for the knees, and doesn't tire my legs much at all.

2) 30-60" on 3/8 or 4/8. I start on 4/8 but the bike drops down eventually. I usually cannot make it 60" before almost passing out...... so I will hit the stop button when I start to feel really bad....... usually 35-45".

3) Long rest [10 or 15"] while I slowly pedal by pushing with my hands.

4) 2 minutes on level 9/8. Takes nearly a minute to reach 9/8. Then I pedal until 2 minutes, sometimes 3. It's really difficult. But so worth it.

[Jeff Weeks]

j c - cost is a big impediment. New bikes are 15 G's.

I bought my 97 Stimmaster in 1999 for $7000. It had barely been used. I'm a total tightwad with the electrode pads and use them until they stop working. My one year supply is still going strong after several years.

I think some here are having success with insurance. Others are just deciding it is something they have to do and are raising the money somehow.

My dream is to release plans for a simple bike that could be constructed at home for $500. The health of the SCI population would then improve almost overnight.

The other impediments are contraindications like bad scoliosis, contractures, existing pressure sores or osteoporosis. I was lucky that I just seemed to take care of myself well over the first 20 years. Now, the FES is taking care of me. Partly cuz it forces me to be in top health in order to participate.

[Jeff Weeks]

Dustin - you did the right thing. Having a nice car does not approach the awesomeness of having a healthy body. My Taurus is almost ten years old and has 96,000 miles. But it doesn't bother me at all.

[Jr.]

Is it possible for someone like me who hasn't done anything in the way of muscle stimulation after almost 7 years post injury at T-10 complete , to start using a stim master or Electrical muscle stimulator. Can this therapy do anything for me now after all this time. Any info on this? Can muscles be reactivated after 7 years of atrophy? Are muscles still alive after 7 years of nonuse, other than spasms?

[Jeff Weeks]

Jr - You need the reflex arc in order to do FES. At T10 you might slide in there. Do you have any spasms in ur legs?

I waited 20 years to do anything at all. Spasticity kept me with a little muscle tone..... but not near normal.

[Jr.]

Jr - You need the reflex arc in order to do FES. At T10 you might slide in there. Do you have any spasms in ur legs?

I waited 20 years to do anything at all. Spasticity kept me with a little muscle tone..... but not near normal.

I have spasms usually when my bladder or bowel is ready to emlinate, my leggs will start shaking or jerking around. Why would this happen because of my bladder or bowel? I also have a small portable FES device and my butt muscles are able to stimulate using it, no quads, very little feet, but get some response out of the back of leggs such as calves!

[Jeff Weeks]

The quads are really important for pedaling. You will need to get a strong response from them using your stimulator.

[Jr.]

The quads are really important for pedaling. You will need to get a strong response from them using your stimulator.

Can a T-10 injury cause denervation to the quad muscles? I thought that the quad muscle nerve roots branch out at the Lumbar level segment of the spinal cord?

[Jeff Weeks]

I think quadriceps are innervated at L3. But I've heard of T10 folks who didn't have reflexes below their injury level at all. The lumbar cord segments are situated at bony levels T9-11, right? I dunno. We're gonna need help on this.

Try reading this:

http://carecure.org/index.php?page=v...nalLevels.html

[graybeard]

More thoughts of FES....

Jeff, wantin' to say that you do a killer workout on the bike. It wipes my butt out doing 30 min at 4/8 Kp, then 30min. at 0 K/p with SP at 46 rpm. I is really impressed with your stamina. As for beneficial stuff, the bike has really improved my blood circulation to lower extremities. My feet are not blue anymore after a shower,and feet are no longer swollen, ever. I can tolerate the colder temps better, though not the bne-chillin' variety. The Ergys 2 bike is building stronger muscle in my legs, aiding my walking and gait techniques.

[Curt Leatherbee]

Sounds like you are onto a system of body building your legs Jeff

I use to workout that way and like you ended up with huge muscular legs. It made my daily life much harder in dragging around my heavy legs in and out of the truck and even transfers became harder. Now I just use the FES bike every other day on level 2 for some cardio and to keep my legs moving around. I figured if I kept on excersing the way I was I would end up with upper body problems (shoulders, etc) from lifting my heavy legs all the time.

Just think though Jeff if a Cure does come along though, you can go from being a Quad to an Olympic Speed Skater overnight