In which scenarios might NMES be used for functional electrical stimulation (FES)?

• A. Gait retraining (ankle dorsiflexion)
• B. Upper-limb grasp and release tasks
• C. Functional tasks after stroke, spinal cord injury, or other neuromuscular impairments
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Functional electrical stimulation with NMES is used to activate the affected muscles exactly when they’re needed during real tasks, helping the movement be more functional and natural. For gait, stimulating the ankle dorsiflexors during the swing phase helps lift the foot and prevents toe drag, improving step clearance and walking efficiency. For hand function, activating finger flexors or wrist extensors can enable grasp and release, supporting object manipulation and daily tasks. This approach is also applied broadly to functional activities after stroke, spinal cord injury, or other neuromuscular impairments to promote independence and practical practice. Because NMES-FES can aid both leg and arm actions across these contexts, it’s appropriate for gait, upper-limb tasks, and general functional tasks following neuromuscular injury.