Biomechanical analysis of gait following the application of therapeutic electrical stimulation (TES) in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA): preliminary results

Following TES treatment, four of five patients exhibited a decrease in the quadriceps avoidance pattern and an increase in the knee extensor moment and knee flexion angle during stance. This indicates an increase in quadriceps activity post treatment. Isometric knee extensor torque measurements also steadily increased for all five patients. This information may contribute to a better understanding of the functional consequences of juvenile arthritis and help reduce the potential for permanent deformity by encouraging early and functionally oriented treatment. Future work will explore the efficacy of this intervention in preserving mobility by examining muscle length models for each patient.