Many people have a motorised passive-active bike at home. They use it for a year or two, usually a MOTOmed or a THERA-Trainer, and they use it most days. Their legs go round. The question is whether their legs are getting anything from it beyond going round, and whether the electrical stimulation they saw on the bike in the spinal unit gym could ever come home.

Passive cycling does beneficial things, and adding synchronised electrical stimulation provides a measurable step on top. And the part that has changed recently is that the stimulator no longer has to arrive bolted to a new bike. For many years, we worked with the RehaMove system, which integrated an 8-channel stimulator with a version of the MOTOmed bike. We were always aware that the total cost of the system meant that many people could not adopt it. And as the stimulator needed to communicate directly by cable with the bike, we were restricted to one or two models of MOTOmed. Why should they give up the bike that they were already using and replace it with one that happened to support FES cycling?

Things have changed now with the arrival of Stim2Go. The bike you already own, whatever the make, is the awkward part of an FES cycling system, and you already have it. Let's see whether adding Stim2Go would be worth it.

For some people, the obstacle to standing up is not weakness. It is the opposite problem: legs that are too stiff, too tense, or too unpredictable to cooperate. You go to move and the leg pushes out straight when you wanted it to bend, or a spasm arrives at the worst possible moment, or simply getting your feet into a sensible position feels like a negotiation. This is spasticity, and for a great many people, after an incomplete spinal cord injury or stroke, it is the single thing standing between them and a useful sit-to-stand.

We have written before about spasticity after spinal cord injury and the limits of medication. This article looks at a more specific question: when spasticity is the thing blocking a functional goal like standing, what can electrical stimulation do about it, and how do the pieces fit together?

One of the quieter worries in rehabilitation is rarely about the therapy itself. It is about money. Equipment is expensive, budgets are tight, and funding is often uncertain until late in the process. The fear we hear most is not "will this work," but rather "will I spend a significant sum and end up with the wrong thing, or with several things that do not work well together." Does this sound familiar?

It is a reasonable worry, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a sales pitch. This article looks at one practical way of reducing that risk: choosing a single, flexible stimulator that covers several rehabilitation needs, rather than a separate machine for each. The device we have in mind is the Stim2Go, and the point is not so much the brand as the principle behind it.

We have just recently redeveloped our sister site, fescycling.com, dedicated to functional electrical stimulation cycling: the evidence, the practicalities, and the questions that come up most often in clinic. The articles below are written for people considering FES cycling, the families and case managers supporting them, and clinicians who want a clearer view of what the technology can and cannot do.

If you are new to FES cycling, the first three are the natural starting point. The rest go deeper into specific questions, conditions, and day-to-day reality. Although our offered system is based on the Stim2Go unit from Pajunk, the articles should be of general interest to those who wish to learn more about FES cycling.

If you'd like more, there is a comprehensive online resource available at https://fescycling.com/guide and a AI powered chat to let you explore it.

Spasticity is common after spinal cord injury, and while medication can help, it isn’t always the best or only option. This article explores alternative ways to manage spasticity when medication isn’t effective or suitable. It looks at why symptoms can vary, what triggers may make spasticity worse, and the importance of an individualised approach. From rehabilitation strategies to practical day-to-day management, it provides a helpful overview for improving comfort, function, and quality of life.

Muscle loss doesn’t wait and neither should prevention. This article explains how proactive FES can support early muscle activation, helping reduce atrophy during periods of limited mobility. Learn why starting sooner can make a difference, who it may be suitable for, and how FES fits into a broader rehabilitation plan.