Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is used to help restore function, strengthen, and reduce atrophy in paralyzed muscles. Electrical currents activate nerves in extremities that have been affected by neurological illness or injury. By promoting normal movement patterns, FES encourages adaptive neuroplasticity and improvement in function for activities like walking, running, stepping, reaching, and grasping. 

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Using electrodes attached to the skin, small electrical pulses are sent directly to the neurologically impaired muscles. These electrical stimuli are programmed by our physical therapists and are coordinated by computer software, resulting in corresponding muscle contractions and limb movements, which users would otherwise not be able to achieve on their own. 

Synaptic also utilizes FES bikes in our treatment plans, allowing people with little or no voluntary leg movement to pedal a stationary leg-cycle called an ergometer.