The Odstock Dropped Foot Stimulator is an electronic device, designed to assist people who have a dropped foot due to neurological damage to walk. By stimulating the common peroneal nerve at its most superficial point, passing over the head of the fibula bone, it is possible to cause dorsiflexion with degrees of hip and knee flexion. This is through excitation of the withdrawal reflex. If this is timed with walking using a foot switch worn in the shoe, walking can be significantly improved. The sensation of the stimulus is like ‘‘pins and needles’’ which the user soon becomes used to. The Dropped Foot Stimulator is about the same size as a pack of playing cards and is worn on a belt clip or in the pocket. Wires, worn under the clothing, carry the electrical stimulus to self adhesive skin surface electrodes on the side of the leg. A small foot switch is placed in the shoe under the heel. Stimulation can be adaptive to walking speed, starting and ending with heel rise and strike or can be for a fixed time, initiated by heel rise. An adjustable extension to the stimulation output after heel contact is provided to allow the foot to be lowered to the ground. Additionally the stimulator can be initialised by heel strike for controlled by the contralateral side. Ramping of the output allows fine tuning of the timing parameters and helps prevent calf spasticity due to sudden stretching of the Achilles tendon. The flexibility in operation allows the ODFS to be successfully used by subjects with a wide range mobility problems. The device can be used as an assistive aid or as a training device to strengthen muscles and improve voluntary control. Additionally, the device has a role in physiotherapy gait re-education allowing isolated components of the gait cycle to be practised under therapist control.

The ODFS is FDA approved for use in the USA.

The Odstock Two Channel Stimulator is essentially 2 ODFS in a single box but with additional circuitry to allow the two stimulators to interact. It can be controlled by one or two foot switches with all the same control features of the ODFS with the addition of an adjustable delay following initiation on the second channel and variable stimulation frequency. The device has been used for bilateral dropped foot, dropped foot with push off by adding calf stimulation, dropped foot with knee flexion by addition of hamstrings, dropped foot with hip extension by adding gluteals, dropped foot and knee extension adding quadriceps, bilateral quadriceps, dropped foot with triceps for reducing associated reaction and assisted cough for high level tetraplegia.

The Microstim neuromuscular stimulator is intended for the exercise of weak or paralysed muscle. It is designed to be simple to use with the minimum necessary user controls. The output stimulation intensity is ramped at the beginning and end of each cycle by pulse width modulation to produce a comfortable sensation. Powered by a standard 9V battery, this makes it ideal for use at home for regular exercise.

Label shows modes without the need to look them up in the instructions