At Oriems Fit Research Digest, we love bringing real science to everyone — no jargon, no confusion.
Every week, we explore new research from top universities to inspire curiosity and show how modern science is helping people move, feel, and live better.
Today’s study looks at something fascinating — how Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES, a niche of EMS technology, helped people relearn how to reach and grasp after stroke or spinal cord injury.
And as always, you can find the original research link at the end of this post for further exploration and fact checks.
💡 Who Did This Research and When?
This study was done by Dr. Naaz Kapadia, Bastien Moineau, and Dr. Milos Popovic at The KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network, and the University of Toronto, Canada.
It was published in Frontiers in Neuroscience (2020) — a peer-reviewed scientific journal trusted by researchers worldwide.
The work was supported by respected organizations such as the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, and Toronto Rehab Foundation — which shows it was a serious, well-funded project.
⚙️ What Is This Research About?
The researchers wanted to see if Functional Electrical Stimulation therapy — a kind of gentle EMS program that activates muscles through small electrical pulses — could help people who lost movement in their arms and hands after a stroke or spinal cord injury.
They weren’t trying to strengthen the muscles like in fitness EMS — instead, they used electricity to “remind the body” how to move again, by pairing stimulation with real movements such as holding, reaching, and grasping.
🧍♀️ Who Was Involved in the Study?
More than 200 people took part in these clinical programs —
including around 150 with spinal cord injuries and 50 with strokes.
Some had weak arms or hands after a spinal injury; others had difficulty opening or closing their fingers after a stroke.
All participants joined FES training sessions led by professional therapists.
🔬 How Did the Scientists Do It?
Each person trained for 8–16 weeks, with 45–60-minute sessions, about 3–5 times a week.
Electrodes were placed on the skin over key muscles (like those that move the wrist, fingers, or thumb).
The electrical pulses gently helped the muscles perform real actions like:
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Reaching forward or sideways
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Opening and closing the hand
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Picking up a cup or pen
While the machine helped with the movement, patients were always encouraged to actively try to move themselves — the stimulation simply “guided” the muscles to remember how.
🌟 What Did They Find?
The results were powerful.
After about 40 hours of Functional Electrical Stimulation training, participants showed major improvements in their hand use and daily independence compared to those who only did regular therapy.
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People with spinal injuries scored higher on the Self-Care Independence Scale (they could feed, dress, and wash themselves better).
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Stroke patients improved on several movement scales, including the Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Barthel Index.
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Some participants who once depended on caregivers became partly or fully independent again.
Even more exciting — these improvements lasted or improved further at the 6-month follow-up.
⚡ Why Is This Important?
This study shows that Functional Electrical Stimulation, a specialized branch of EMS, can do more than just make muscles contract — it can help retrain the brain and body to work together again.
By sending tiny signals through the skin, Functional Electrical Stimulation helps the brain “wake up” old pathways and strengthen new ones.
In simple words, it helps rebuild forgotten connections between the brain and the muscles.
💪 How Might This Help Everyday EMS Users?
For EMS users in general, this research supports the idea that electrical stimulation can keep muscles active and improve coordination — even in difficult recovery situations.
While the study focused on rehabilitation, it highlights how gentle, repeated muscle stimulation can encourage better movement patterns — something useful for anyone wanting to maintain mobility, circulation, or daily function.
🧾 Study Details at a Glance
| Study Details | Summary |
|---|---|
| Original Research Name | Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy for Retraining Reaching and Grasping After Spinal Cord Injury and Stroke |
| Simplified Name | Can Gentle EMS Help Relearn Hand Movements After Stroke or Spinal Injury? |
| Researchers | Dr. Naaz Kapadia, Bastien Moineau, Dr. Milos R. Popovic |
| Institutions | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute & University of Toronto (Canada) |
| Participants | 200 total (150 with spinal injuries, 50 with stroke) |
| Intervention | 8–16 weeks of Functional Electrical Stimulation therapy, 45–60 min per session, 3–5 times per week |
| Results | Major gains in arm/hand movement, better daily independence, lasting improvement after 6 months |
| Why Trust It | Peer-reviewed in Frontiers in Neuroscience and funded by major neurological foundations |
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Source Link Full study: Kapadia N, Moineau B, Popovic MR (2020). Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy for Retraining Reaching and Grasping After Spinal Cord Injury and Stroke. Published in Frontiers in Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00718
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