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Functional Electrical Stimulation(FES) is a useful apparatus to activate paralyzed muscle resulting from upper moter neuron disease such as hemiplegia, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, etc. The purpose of FES, which contracts muscles by stimulating motor neuron with electric excitation, is used to strengthen weakened muscles, to decrease spasticity, to enhance the scope of joint mobility, or to control motor regulation. Recently, FES has been comprehensively used to control of the cardiovascular system, regulation of urinary and cystitis function, and breathing assistance along with the purposes of gate, standing, locomotion, etc. This review focused on the literature reporting application of FES to control respiratory capabilities and internal organ function as well as increase muscular strength, hand grasp, standing and walking in patients with upper motor diseases. 1. Walking : By applying FES, lower limb muscles can be stimulated to compensate for the drop foot problem of to generate the gate sequence in both legs while the muscles that facilitate balancing and posture during walking have to be voluntarily controlled by the patient. 2. Grasping : In supporting the hand function, the FES system should not interfere with the patient’s preserved upper limb function. Furthermore, FES induced movements should not oppose natural joint movement and they have to respect the anatomy of bone and soft tissue composition. 3. Muscle strength and endurance : FES, which contracts muscles by stimulating motor neuron with electric excitation, is used to strengthen weakened muscles and to improve muscle endurance. 4. Internal organ function : FES will be used increasingly to improve the biood circulation, to provide bladder and bowel control, and to improve sexual function in disease of after traumatic injury. 5. Breathing ability : FES of abdominal muscles by surface electrode with inserting electric stimulation is effective to ventilatory support of spinal cord injury patients, who do not have neurologic injury and who have breathing ability. Electrical stimulation to abdominal muscles increases pressure of the abdomen by contracting abdominal muscles and pushing abdominal walls to inside whose action moves diaphragm to thoracic cavity. As a result, translocation of the diaphragm increases pleura pressure, decreases pulmonary volume and increases expiration.
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