The Use of a Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike in an Individual with a Left-sided Stroke: A Case Report

Background: Individuals who have suffered strokes benefit from physical therapy to maximize their function in everyday activities. Research has shown some success using cycling with functional electrical stimulation (FES) as an adjunct treatment in these individuals, but it is not widely used as a standard of care. The purpose of this case report is to describe an example of an individual who received this type of therapy and discuss his experience with the intervention. Case Description: The patient was a 36-year old male who suffered a left-sided stroke. Two weeks later, he was admitted into an inpatient rehabilitation facility. At this time, he required heavy assistance from 1-2 people for all functional mobility. Intervention: After one week of participation in rehabilitation, the patient was set up on a FES bike. This intervention was used 2x/week for 4 weeks in an effort to prime the muscles on his paretic limb. Outcome Measures: The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was used as the main outcome in this case. The patient had improvements in each of his FIM scores for transfers, walking, and stairs. Discussion: This case report demonstrates that the use of FES cycling is feasible in the acute phase of hemiparesis stroke rehabilitation, even for a patient with significant functional impairments. The intervention was tolerated well, and provided an enjoyable experience for the patient