Device may help those with cerebral palsy walk more easily

A small cuff device around the leg can help people who have trouble walking, such as many sufferers of cerebral palsy, improve their mobility immensely. The Ness L300 helps those with what is termed as "foot drop," which occurs when a person's nerves fail to send a signal to the toe when they want to take a step, according to the News-Leader. Foot drop is common among those who suffer from cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis or those with a spinal or brain injury. The device employs functional electronic stimulation, which sends a current of electricity from the cuff, under the knee to the foot to instruct it to lift. Tucked into the wearer's shoes are "gait sensors," which signal to the cuff to adjust the stimulation depending on what type of movement they detect. Bonnie Bell who has been wearing the Ness L300 to help with her foot drop problem caused by MS has even found that she is having an easier time controlling her movement since she got the device, even when she isn't wearing the cuff. "But I try not to focus on the 'Wow,'" Bell told the news source. "My goal was not to climb a mountain. My goal was to walk in the mall without falling on my face."