16/02/2026
FES: more than just a buzz word ⚡
Here are 4 things to know
✨ 1. FES stands for Functional Electrical Stimulation. It uses small electrical impulses to activate muscles that the brain can no longer control effectively - whether that's due to a spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, or a neurological condition. It's one of the core tools we use in our work, and it's something you'll hear us talk about a lot.
✨ 2. It's a type of NMES. If you caught our earlier Knowledge Bite on NMES (Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation), FES is really just a specific application of it. The difference is that FES is always focused on producing a useful, functional outcome - like helping you grip, stand, or walk. So while all FES is NMES, not all NMES is FES.
✨ 3. It works with your body. FES targets the nerves that supply your muscles and triggers them to contract in a way that mimics natural movement. Think of it like a detour - the signal just takes a different route to get where it needs to go. For the person using it, that can mean being able to do things that would otherwise need assistance or not be possible at all.
✨ 4. The benefits go beyond the session. Using FES regularly can help maintain muscle bulk, support circulation, and reduce secondary complications like pressure sores. For some people, repeated use can even help retrain the nervous system over time, which is one of the really exciting things about it.
If you'd like to go a bit deeper into what FES is, how it works, and some of the ways it's used in rehabilitation, we've written a full article on it here:
https://www.anatomicalconcepts.com/articles/the-benefits-of-functional-electrical-stimulation-for-rehabilitation