Feasibility and apparent safety of functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and primary lateral sclerosis: a single-arm longitudinal pilot feasibility study
Abstract
Functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling may be relevant in motor neuron disease, but its feasibility and safety in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and primary lateral sclerosis remain unclear. The authors aimed to assess feasibility, apparent safety, and exploratory pre-post clinical changes of a three-week functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling protocol in ambulatory inpatients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or primary lateral sclerosis. Fifteen patients were assessed; 11 were enrolled (5 ALS, 6 PLS) and received 15 supervised 30-minute FES-cycling sessions over three weeks in addition to conventional neuromotor rehabilitation. Bilateral eight-channel stimulation targeted quadriceps, tibialis anterior, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius during active or active-assisted cycling. Feasibility outcomes were enrollment, completion, tolerance, adverse events, and pre-post data availability. Clinical outcomes were analyzed descriptively. Eleven of 15 assessed patients were enrolled (73.3%; 5 ALS, 6 PLS). All enrolled participants completed the protocol, no adverse events were documented, and complete pre-post data were available. Exploratory outcomes showed favorable short-term changes in mobility, walking, strength, and spasticity. This protocol appears feasible and apparently safe in selected ambulatory inpatients. Findings are hypothesis-generating and support a prospective controlled feasibility trial before efficacy is tested.
Related
- Statistical analysis plan for the feasibility trial assessing external trigeminal nerve stimulation versus sham stimulation for ADHD in children and adolescents aged 7 to 17 years (the eTNS4ADHD trial)
- Music-Synchronized Gamma Light Stimulation Strengthens Theta-Gamma Coupling in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment: Results from a Randomized Feasibility Trial
- Adaptive deep brain stimulation for dynamic gait control in Parkinson’s disease: a randomized feasibility trial
- Cognitive Stimulation in Activities of Daily Living for individuals living with mild-to-moderate dementia (CS-ADL): a feasibility study.
- Association of daily perceived stress with fertility outcomes in natural and controlled ovarian stimulation cycles: a feasibility study
BibTeX
@article{regazzetti2026feasibility,
title = {{Feasibility and apparent safety of functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and primary lateral sclerosis: a single-arm longitudinal pilot feasibility study}},
author = {Martina Regazzetti and Pawel Kiper and Antonio Merico and Simonetta Rossi and Diego Bulcão Visco and Carlos Luque Moreno and Alfonc Baba},
journal = {European Journal of Translational Myology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.4081/ejtm.2026.16025},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2026.16025},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Feasibility and apparent safety of functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and primary lateral sclerosis: a single-arm longitudinal pilot feasibility study
AU - Martina Regazzetti
AU - Pawel Kiper
AU - Antonio Merico
AU - Simonetta Rossi
AU - Diego Bulcão Visco
AU - Carlos Luque Moreno
AU - Alfonc Baba
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/24
JO - European Journal of Translational Myology
DO - 10.4081/ejtm.2026.16025
UR - https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2026.16025
AB - Functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling may be relevant in motor neuron disease, but its feasibility and safety in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and primary lateral sclerosis remain unclear. The authors aimed to assess feasibility, apparent safety, and exploratory pre-post clinical changes of a three-week functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling protocol in ambulatory inpatients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or primary lateral sclerosis. Fifteen patients were assessed; 11 were enrolled (5 ALS, 6 PLS) and received 15 supervised 30-minute FES-cycling sessions over three weeks in addition to conventional neuromotor rehabilitation. Bilateral eight-channel stimulation targeted quadriceps, tibialis anterior, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius during active or active-assisted cycling. Feasibility outcomes were enrollment, completion, tolerance, adverse events, and pre-post data availability. Clinical outcomes were analyzed descriptively. Eleven of 15 assessed patients were enrolled (73.3%; 5 ALS, 6 PLS). All enrolled participants completed the protocol, no adverse events were documented, and complete pre-post data were available. Exploratory outcomes showed favorable short-term changes in mobility, walking, strength, and spasticity. This protocol appears feasible and apparently safe in selected ambulatory inpatients. Findings are hypothesis-generating and support a prospective controlled feasibility trial before efficacy is tested.
SN - 2037-7452
SN - 2037-7460
ER -