FES Video Creates a Buzz at WMRC
Thanks to kind donations and fundraising, the Specialist Functional Electrical Stimulation Team at West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre (WMRC) have been able to produce an educational video to help patients and their families prepare for appointments for functional electrical stimulation (FES) treatment.
FES treatment stimulates nerves using small electric impulses to activate muscles and is used widely in rehabilitation where there is muscle weakness or tightness. Two adhesive pad electrodes connected to a small stimulator are placed on the skin; one close to the nerve supplying the muscle and another over the centre of the muscle being stimulated, and low-energy electrical impulses are delivered to generate body movements. The treatment is used to help retrain voluntary motor functions such as reaching, walking, and grasping. Understandably, many children and their families find the idea of an electrical treatment quite daunting, and as such this can cause anxiety before and during treatments.
The team at WMRC came up with the idea of creating an informational video for those accessing the service to watch to help alleviate this anxiety and provide useful, clear information about the fitting and use of FES equipment. Physiotherapist Claire Doherty brought the idea to BCHC Charity for funding. “The name ‘functional electrical stimulation’ is quite scary and not meaningful to the general population”, she said. “One child said in a feedback questionnaire; “I was worried I was going to be electrocuted”. Whilst the video is aimed at children, it will also benefit adults who are coming to the department, meaning they are better informed and less anxious.”
The Charity Team were very happy to help, funding a three and a half minute video explaining what FES is, why it is used, and what to expect from their appointment. The video is now an integral part of the child and family’s introduction to the FES Service. They are sent an email with a link so they can watch the video before they attend their first FES appointment. It assists in preparing the child and family and therefore the first appointment is less stressful and proceeds more efficiently as the child is more accepting of the examination and fitting of the equipment.
Helen Jones, Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist at the centre, reports that the feedback from the video has been incredibly positive. “100% of families have reported they found the FES video helpful in showing what to expect when they come to clinic”, she says. Families also shared that the video helped in reducing anxiety for both the child and their parents, increasing interest in using FES prior to attending an appointment, and assisting parents in what they need to have ready for their appointments in the FES clinic.
The FES video has also been used to inform health professionals about the service and has increased knowledge of how FES can be used to help children. It has been used as part of in service training on the use of FES for Community Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Consultant Paediatricians.
To find out more about FES and to watch the informational video, visit our FES information page.