Development of a hybrid leg cycling exercise technique for patients with lower-limb paresis

The feasibility of a newly developed hybrid exercise technique consisting of simultaneous voluntary and electrical stimulation induced contractions (ESIC) for pedaling a leg cycle ergometer (LCE) was studied. For initial testing of this hybrid technique, ESIC were superimposed on the voluntarily contracting gluteal, quadriceps, and hamstring muscle groups of able-bodied subjects. Comparison of submaximal LCE stress tests in voluntary and hybrid modes demonstrated greater metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses at given power output levels during the hybrid technique. These results on able-bodied subjects suggest that this hybrid technique may be useful to elicit greater metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses to LCE in individuals with paretic lower-limb muscles.