Abstract
[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the stimulation timing when performing functional electrical stimulation on the lower limb muscles during walking movement on walking movement. [Participants and Methods] For the right vastus medialis of 6 healthy adult males, (1) electrical stimulation during the final to load response period of the swing leg where normal muscle contraction occurs, (2) electrical stimulation during the early to middle swing leg earlier than normal, and (3). Intervention was performed under the four conditions of instantaneous electrical stimulation and (4) no electrical stimulation from the middle to the end of the swing leg just before the normal occurrence, and the transition of the center of gravity during walking and the transition of the angle change of each joint of the lower limbs were compared and examined. [Results] Compared to walking without electrical stimulation, the position of the center of gravity tended to shift upward as a whole with normal electrical stimulation, and the vertical displacement width tended to decrease as a whole with momentary electrical stimulation. As for the joint angle, the maximum flexion angle of the right knee joint in the early stage of stance decreased in all electrical stimulation patterns compared to walking without electrical stimulation, and tended to decrease most with instantaneous electrical stimulation. Regarding flexion and extension in the swing phase, there was a tendency for the flexion and extension timing to be delayed with normal electrical stimulation, and a tendency for the flexion and extension timing to be advanced with early electrical stimulation. [Conclusion] Since the angle changes are observed even in phases other than the time of stimulation, it is important to examine the stimulation timing and stimulation time based on the characteristics of walking movement called circulatory movement and the movement control strategy.