What is FES?

• A. High-frequency stimulation to brain
• B. Low level electrical currents applied directly to motor nerves to restore function
• C. Heat-based therapy to increase blood flow
• D. Sound waves for tissue healing

Answer: (B)

FES, or Functional Electrical Stimulation, uses low-level electrical currents applied to motor nerves or the muscles themselves to evoke contractions that enable functional movements. This approach aims to restore or improve tasks like grasping, standing, or walking in people with motor impairments after neurological injury. It’s a peripheral method, targeting nerves and muscles directly, rather than altering brain activity with brain stimulation. It is not heat-based or sound-based therapy, which do not produce functional muscle contractions for movement.