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Scientists have created a device that allows lame people to walk normally
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
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Scientists have created a device that emits electrical impulses. It gives limping people back their freedom of action, allowing them to walk normally. The idea is this: the device makes the muscles in the legs contract and lift the leg off the ground correctly. This invention is primarily intended for people who drag their legs.
Normally, when a person walks, the leg is lifted at the ankle. However, patients with this disorder have difficulty lifting their leg off the ground. This is caused by muscle weakness or paralysis of the muscles below the knee. Often the cause is a history of stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease.
So, if a person drags their leg, it means that the nerves are not transmitting signals from the brain, and as a result, the muscles do not work properly. At the moment, one of the last options to solve the problem is surgery, which requires a long recovery period. But nerve stimulation offers another option.
According to a recent study of 15 stroke patients who dragged their legs, such stimulation increased muscle strength and increased walking speed by 38%. The patients used the device for five days over 12 weeks. And the creation of a wireless version promises to change the lives of hundreds of people.
So, the device is called Bioness NESS L300. It is a cuff that is placed on the leg under the knee. The cuff contains electrodes that stimulate the main nerve that goes through the skin along the leg to the foot. The sensor, located in the shoe, lets the device know whether the heel is off the ground or not.
When the foot is off the ground, the sensor sends signals to the cuff, which sends electrical impulses to the nerve. As a result, the muscle in the leg contracts and the leg rises. This happens so quickly that the person does not even notice. The level of stimulation activity can be controlled using the remote control.
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