Long-term denervation in humans causes degeneration of both contractile and excitation-contraction coupling apparatus, which is reversible by functional electrical stimulation (FES): a role for myofiber regeneration?

Over the last 30 years there has been considerable interest in the use of functional electrical stimulation (FES) to restore movement to the limbs of paralyzed patients. Spinal cord injury causes a rapid loss in both muscle mass and contractile force. The atrophy is especially severe when the injury involves lower motoneurons because many months after spinal cord injury, atrophy is complicated by fibrosis and fat substitution.