Background: Rehabilitation is a critical process for enhancing functionality, independence, and quality of life in individuals with disabilities. Grounded in the biopsychosocial model, it addresses physical, emotional, and social dimensions through personalized, evidence-based interventions. By integrating standardized assessments and continuous evaluation, rehabilitation has the potential to promote recovery and support active participation in society. Objectives: This study evaluated the impact of a long-term, multidisciplinary, home-based rehabilitation program on quality of life, balance, and functional autonomy in adults with neuromusculoskeletal disabilities. Methods: A total of 559 participants received individualized interventions from a team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and other health professionals. Functional independence, balance, depressive symptoms, and quality of life were assessed using the Barthel Index, Berg Balance Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and SF-36 questionnaire, respectively. Results: A longitudinal analysis comparing pre- and post-intervention outcomes revealed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) across all metrics. The Barthel Index median increased from 85 to 90 points, indicating greater functional independence, while the Berg Balance Scale improved from 39 to 47 points, reflecting reduced fall risk. Depressive symptoms decreased, with Beck Depression Inventory scores dropping from 12 to 9, and both physical and mental health components of the SF-36 showed marked enhancements. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the program’s effectiveness in addressing both physical and emotional needs, emphasizing the value of extended, personalized, home-based care in improving health, autonomy, and overall quality of life for individuals with disabilities. This study underscores the potential of multidisciplinary approaches to support long-term rehabilitation in diverse populations.

Foot drop is a gait disturbance characterized by difficulty in performing ankle dorsiflexion during the swing phase of the gait cycle. Current available evidence shows that functional electrical stimulation (FES) on the musculature responsible for dorsal ankle flexion during gait can have positive effects on walking ability. This study aims to present a proof of concept for a novel easy-to-use FES system and evaluates the biomechanical effects during gait in stroke patients, compared to unassisted walking. Gait was quantitatively evaluated in a movement analysis laboratory for five subjects with chronic stroke, in basal condition without assistance and in gait assisted with FES. Improvements were found in all temporospatial parameters during FES-assisted gait, evidenced by statistically significant differences only in gait speed $(\boldsymbol{p}=\mathbf{0.02})$ . Joint kinematics showed positive changes in hip abduction and ankle dorsiflexion variables during the swing phase of the gait cycle. No significant differences were found in the Gait Deviation Index. In conclusion, the present pilot study demonstrates that the use of this FES system in the tibialis anterior muscle can cause gait functional improvements in subjects with foot drop due to chronic stroke.

Recently, functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was applied to obtain, non-invasively, the human peri‑spinal Neuro-Vascular Response (NVR) under a non-noxious electrical stimulation of a peripheral nerve. This method allowed the measurements of changes in the concentration of oxyhemoglobin (O₂Hb) and deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) from the peri‑spinal vascular network. However, there is a lack of clarity about the potential differences in perispinal NVR recorded by the different fNIRS technologies currently available. In this work, the two main noninvasive fNIRS technologies were compared, i.e., LED and LASER-based. The recording of the human peri‑spinal NVR induced by non-noxious electrical stimulation of a peripheral nerve was recorded simultaneously at C₇ and T₁₀ vertebral levels. The amplitude, rise time, and full width at half maximum duration of the perispinal NVRs were characterized in healthy volunteers and compared between both systems. The main difference was that the LED-based system shows about one order of magnitude higher values of amplitude than the LASER-based system. No statistical differences were found for rise time and for duration parameters (at thoracic level). The comparison of point-to-point wave patterns did not show significant differences between both systems. In conclusion, the peri‑spinal NRV response obtained by different fNIRS technologies was reproducible, and only the amplitude showed differences, probably due to the power of the system which should be considered when assessing the human peri‑spinal vascular network.

One emerging method in home stroke rehabilitation is digital technology. However, existing approaches typically target one domain (e.g., upper limb). Moreover, existing interventions do not cater to older adults with stroke (OAwS), especially those with high motor impairment, who require adjunct therapeutic agents to independently perform challenging exercises. We examined the feasibility of Smartphone-based Exercise Training after Stroke (SETS) with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). A total of 12 participants (67 ± 5 years) with stroke (onset > 6 months) exhibiting moderate-to-high motor impairment (Chedoke McMaster Leg ≤ 4/7) underwent 6 weeks of multicomponent (gait, functional strength, dynamic balance) training integrated with FES to paretic lower limb muscles. Primary measures included safety and adherence. Secondary measures included motivation, acceptability and attitude, usability, and clinical measures of gait and balance function like the 10-Meter Walk Test and Mini-BESTest. Participants reported no adverse events and moderate-to-high adherence (84.17 ± 11.24%) and improvement (up to 40%) in motivation, acceptability, and attitude and system usability. Participants also showed pre-post improvements in all measures of gait and balance function (p < 0.05). Integrating SETS and FES is feasible and yields short-term gains in gait and balance function among OAwS. Future studies could validate our findings by examining its efficacy with control groups to identify the differential effects of SETS and FES.