Therapeutic effect of an implantable peroneal nerve stimulator in subjects with chronic stroke and footdrop: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Footdrop, characterized by a person's inability to raise the foot at the ankle, is a common problem in patients with stroke. A randomized controlled trial was performed to determine the therapeutic effect of using a new implantable, 2-channel peroneal nerve stimulator for 6 months versus an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO). Subjects: Twenty-nine patients with chronic stroke and footdrop participated in the study. The mean time from stroke was 7.3 years (SD=7.3), and all subjects were community ambulators. Methods: The study used a randomized controlled trial design. The functional electrical stimulation (FES) group received the implantable stimulation system for correction o..