Method and implantable systems for neural sensing and nerve stimulation

A method of producing a dorsiflexion of a foot of a patient in response to a detection of an action indicative of a timing of a heel strike and a heel lift of the patient, the method comprising:

• providing a sensing and stimulation electrode device comprising at least one neurosense electrode capable of sensing a nerve signal from a peripheral nerve and at least one stimulation electrode capable of stimulating a peripheral motor nerve fibre,
• arranging the sensing and stimulation electrodes on at least one peripheral upper leg nerve proximal to a knee of the patient, the nerve comprising sensor nerve fibres innervating portions of the lower leg of the patient and motor nerve fibres innervating musculature of the lower leg,
• receiving and processing the sensed neurosignals to identify an action indicative of the timing of heel strike and heel lift of the patient and producing a control signal in response thereto, and
• operating the at least one stimulation electrode in response to the control signal to produce a stimulation of a peripheral motor nerve fibre so as to produce the dorsiflexion of the foot of the patient.

A method of producing a dorsiflexion of a foot of a patient in response to a detection of an action indicative of a timing of a heel strike and a heel lift of the patient, the method comprising:

• detecting an action indicative of the timing of the heel strike and the heel lift of the patient,
• providing a stimulation electrode,
• arranging the stimulation electrode on a peripheral upper leg nerve proximal to a knee of the patient, the nerve being the peroneal nerve, the nerve comprising nerve fibres innervating musculature on the lower leg capable of producing the dorsiflexion of the foot, and
• operating the stimulation electrode to produce the dorsiflexion of the foot in response to a detected action.