A Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Garment

Professor David Tyler, Rebecca Bennett, Chloe McDonnell, Jane Wood

Manchester Fashion Institute

Aim

• Develop a fully textile garment with dry electrodes (alternative to hydrogel electrodes)

• Screen printed, heat transfer electrode can be designed to any size and shape applicable to end use.

Purpose:Working with patients with spinal cord injury

• After injury, increased risk of low bone mineral density (osteoporosis)

• Increased risk of fracture

• Lengthy hospital stays – possible increase in mortality risk

Purpose:Working with patients with spinal cord injury

• Bone adaptation achieved through weight bearing exercise

• Functional electrical stimulation (FES) – controlled movement in people with paralysis

• Electrodes target muscle fibres

• Controlled movements

Purpose:Working with patients with spinal cord injury

• Electrodes currently ‘strapped’ to patient

• Is there a way of incorporating these into a garment?

• Textile electrodes have extended lifetime vs hydrogel

Materials

• Screen printed electrode

• Synthetic / elastane

• Zip

• Velcro

• Metal press stud

Methods

• Tests on able-bodied participant to measure torque and pain threshold

• Position of electrodes based on standard location used by practitioners.

• Tested using hydrogel electrodes.

• Repeated using dry electrodes (screen printed and heat transferred onto garment)

Methods

• 30Hz square wave pulses at 10mA intervals generated for 2 seconds

• Each step increased by 10mA up to 60mA

• Torque measurement taken at each step.

• Results compared

Findings

• Velcro provided easiest donning / doffing solution

• Compression had no beneficial effect on resistance of electrode, though comfort was noted by user.

• Ease of electrode positioning

Findings

• Dry electrode was activated at 10mA higher than the hydrogel electrode.

• Equal results to 60mA

• Repeats at 60mA resulted in large jump in torque

Conclusion

• ‘Garment’ design is suitable - facilitates easy donning/doffing -adequate compression

• Screen-printed electrodes - Jump in torque for 60mA unclear and remains to be investigated

• Future work will examine dry and wet state, extension and recovery of electrodes

The Future

• Explore potential wider physiotherapy applications

• Home use?

• Activity stimulation for those less mobile

• Possible incorporation into garments to apply to different muscle groups

Questions?

Contact

Rebecca Bennett: Rebecca.bennett@mmu.ac.uk

Chloe McDonnell: C.McDonnell@mmu.ac.uk

Professor David Tyler: D.Tyler@mmu.ac.uk

Jane Wood: J.E.Wood@mmu.ac.uk