Medical engineering & physics
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The inability to voluntarily control the trunk musculature is a major problem following spinal cord injury as it can compromise functional independence and produce unwanted secondary complications. Recent developments suggest that neuroprostheses utilizing functional electrical stimulation (FES) may be able to facilitate or restore trunk control during sitting, standing, and other tasks involving postural control. In spite of these efforts, no study to date has used low-intensity FES to increase multidirectional trunk stiffness and damping in an attempt to bolster stability while minimizing muscle fatigue. ⋯ Our results indicate that low-intensity FES can increase trunk stiffness in healthy individuals, and this specifically for directions associated with the stimulated muscles. In contrast, trunk damping was not found to be altered during FES. The presented results suggest that low-intensity FES is a simple and effective method for increasing trunk stiffness on demand.