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I have read a lot of posts on TiMS about FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) for foot drop but I have not seen much about FES cycling. There are FES devices available in the US from companies like Restorative Therapies and Therapeutic Alliances (and probably more) and in other parts of the world from other companies (Anatomical Concepts in the UK) to keep your arms and legs active even if you are in a wheelchair, and even hand-cycles (tricycles for MSers with poor balance and weak legs, some attach to a wheelchair) with FES attachments from a company called BerkelBike in the Netherlands.

Does anyone have experience with these devices?

Tonto wrote:I have read a lot of posts on TiMS about FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) for foot drop but I have not seen much about FES cycling. There are FES devices available in the US from companies like Restorative Therapies and Therapeutic Alliances (and probably more) and in other parts of the world from other companies (Anatomical Concepts in the UK) to keep your arms and legs active even if you are in a wheelchair, and even hand-cycles (tricycles for MSers with poor balance and weak legs, some attach to a wheelchair) with FES attachments from a company called BerkelBike in the Netherlands.

Does anyone have experience with these devices?

Sounds like it might help.

I use a recumbent tricycle with clip-on sandals. After muscle fatigue, my weak leg falls inwards towards the "boom" or centre bar. I have foam taped around the boom to lessen the rubbing, but what I need is something like what you find on a "Nustep" exercise machine, with a moving bar following the leg, and a thigh strap. If anybody knows of something like that, let us know...

I thought I was the only one that kept hitting the top tube with my leg when I got tired. Sometimes it even hits the water bottle on the seat tube. I tried adjusting my cleats to turn my leg a bit and even sitting off to one side but that was of no use.

Tonto wrote:I thought I was the only one that kept hitting the top tube with my leg when I got tired. Sometimes it even hits the water bottle on the seat tube. I tried adjusting my cleats to turn my leg a bit and even sitting off to one side but that was of no use.

Pretty sure the Nustep gizmo is a large crank that follows the leg as it goes up and down, and holds onto the thigh with a strap around it, so that it can neither slump over to left or right, to the inside or outside of the stroke. The only alternative I can see is a thing that ties the legs together, allowing up-down, but restricting side to side movement.