Which is NOT listed as an application of functional electrical stimulation?

• A. Restoring shoulder movement
• B. Prosthetics for elbow extension
• C. Gloves for reaching, grasping, and releasing
• D. Reducing bone density

Answer: (D)

Functional electrical stimulation activates specific muscles through electrical currents to restore or assist movement in people with paralysis or motor impairment. It’s used to bring back or improve arm and hand function, for example by stimulating the muscles that restore shoulder movement, enabling elbow extension to help reach and position the arm, and using a specialized glove system to stimulate hand muscles for reaching, grasping, and releasing objects. The option about reducing bone density isn’t an application of FES because the technique is focused on reanimating muscles to perform functional tasks, not to decrease bone density. Bone health issues are addressed through other means, and while muscle activity can influence bone loading, reducing bone density is not something FES is designed to achieve.