Automatically Triggered FES Rowing Device for SCI Patients With Motorized Return

Abstract

A quarter of a million people in the United States are affected by spinal cord injury (SCI), which causes loss of sensation and muscle function. Improvements in clinical care have resulted in a lower risk of mortality from initial complications like bedsores or urosepsis, though patients are more susceptible to long term conditions like coronary heart disease [1], which is a leading cause of death for SCI patients [2]. Patients with SCI have sedentary lifestyles, decreased aerobic fitness, and limited levels of oxygen uptake, which contribute to increased rates of cardiovascular complications [2]. To mitigate these factors, SCI patients must perform vigorous aerobic exercise, which can be done through functional electrical stimulation (FES) [3].