In six, succinct, Thursday lunchtime sessions, we will explore how electrical stimulation techniques can enhance the well-being of individuals with denervated muscles. Whether caused by peripheral nerve injuries or lower motor neuron damage in the spinal cord, forms of electrical stimulation can reverse some of the physiological consequences of denervation.

At Anatomical Concepts, we specialise in treating denervation - a condition where muscles lose their nerve supply. This can result from peripheral nerve injuries or certain spinal cord injuries affecting lower motor neurons. Untreated denervation leads to muscle atrophy, weakening muscles, and reduced ability to contract. However, RISE Stimulator, a device we use, can effectively treat denervation. By transmitting electrical signals directly to the muscle fibers, it bypasses the damaged nerve, preventing atrophy and muscle structural changes. This treatment method can normalize muscle tissue and increase muscle bulk over time. It's best to start soon after injury but can also help those with long-term injuries.

We are finding there is a growing interest in using electrotherapy to treat denervated muscle. There are many clinical benefits of doing this and given equipment like the Stimulator RISE, it is very easy to do. Clients can do this safely at home given guidance and support.
Denervated muscle refers to a muscle that has lost its nerve supply or connection to the nervous system. Nerves play a crucial role in controlling muscle movement and function by sending electrical impulses to the muscle fibers. When a muscle becomes denervated, it loses this connection, which can lead to muscle weakness, atrophy (shrinkage), and even loss of muscle function over time. The article features a video from Anatomical Concepts DIrector, Derek Jones, who describes the rationale and process of using the RISE Stimulator in some detail. You can review the video and the transcript is shown

Lower motor neuron lesions can have a profound effect on the nerves responsible for controlling movement in the body, leading to a range of symptoms, including muscle weakness and atrophy (loss of muscle bulk). These conditions can be caused by various factors, such as injury, disease, and even genetic disorders.

In our work we mostly meet individuals who have experienced a spinal cord injury that has resulted in damage to the Lower Motor Neurons resulting in denervation of muscle. We also see nerve injuries such as a Brachial Plexus injury to the shoulder.

In this guide, we will explore some of the causes, the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options for lower motor neuron lesions, highlighting the importance of early intervention and appropriate care.

How to we test for denervated muscle? As we will see in this article, a number of conditions can lead to denervation. Sometimes the extent of this denervation is hard to establish with equipment commonly available to the therapist. Perhaps the therapist tried “conventional” neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and could not produce a muscle contraction even with quite high intensity settings. Hence denervation was suspected, but without really being able to determine it’s extent.
The RISE stimulator provides a handy protocol that allows the presence and extent of denervation to be established and monitored over time. This article describes the process. First lets review some information on what exactly causes denervation, it’s consequences and the benefits of electrotherapy. We can then describe how the RISE unit can give is a denervation “benchmark”.

Electrotherapy for lower motor neuron lesions is not well understood by clinicians but we have many users benefiting from home use of the Stimulator RISE to combat the consequences of muscle denervation.