Saving Life and Limb: FES for the Elderly With PAD
Peripheral Arterial Disease
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Peripheral Arterial Disease focused on measuring Intermittent Claudication, Functional Electrical Stimulation
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients who:
- Are ambulatory, community dwelling adults with evidence of PAD including ankle/brachial index ABI=0.4-0.9
- Have symptom severity of Fontaine stage II-III
- Have a score of 24 or higher on the Folstein Mini Mental test
- Have visible muscle contraction of the plantar flexor (PF) and dorsiflexor (DF) muscles using FES
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients who:
- Have an electronic implanted stimulator such as pacemaker, defibrillator, deep brain stimulator, spinal cord stimulator
- Are pregnant
- Cannot walk without a walker or require human assistance to walk,
- Present with arthritis or neurological damage resulting in paresis or paralysis of the lower extremity
- Have skin lesion(s) on the legs where the FES is placed
Sites / Locations
- MultiCare Health System
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
No Intervention
Experimental
Walk Group
FES + Walk Group
This group of patients are part of the walk group. They will be encouraged to walk and will receive standard care, defined as conservative (non-surgical) management of signs and symptoms, including prescriptive medications to improve circulation and manage pain, determined by their attending physician on a case by case basis.
This group of patients will participate in Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) and exercise. This group will receive functional electrical stimulation as an intervention. The FES device will stimulate (activate) the calf and shin leg muscles of both legs while the patient is walking. This group will also receive standard care, defined as conservative (non-surgical) management of signs and symptoms, including prescriptive medications to improve circulation and manage pain, determined by their attending physician on a case by case basis.