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Abualhasan J1,2, Rumble Y2, Morgan E2, Slatter W2, Grey M2
1Kuwait Ministry of Health, Physical Therapy, Kuwait, Kuwait, 2University of Birmingham, Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Background: Electrical stimulation (ES) and magnetic stimulation (MS) applied peripherally, may
be used to elicit muscle contractions to increase muscle hypertrophy, increase muscle strengthand reduce knee laxity in rehabilitation following injury.
Purpose: We aimed to examine the effect of athree-week exercise programme designed to induce muscle hypertrophy augmented by peripheralES and MS. We hypothesised that the use of peripheral stimulation to augment voluntary driveduring a resistance-training protocol would induce more repetitions thus leading to increased thigh circumference, muscle layer thickness, and quadriceps strength whilst decreasing knee laxity.
Methods: Thirty healthy participants were divided randomly into either ES, MS or Control groups. Five resistancetraining sessions were carried out, consisting of four sets of quadriceps extensions. During the firstthree sets the participants performed eight repetitions at 85% of their 1-repetition maximum (1-RM). On the last set, the participants were instructed to perform the exercise until failure.
Results: The augmentation of peripheral stimuli allowed the MS and ES groups to continue to exercise producing, on average, 4 2 and 7 6 additional repetitions with ES and MS, respectively. Following the training, significant increases were observed for both 1-RM (p = 0.005) and muscle layer thickness (p = 0.031) whilst no change was observed in thigh circumference (p = 0.365). Knee laxity decreased (p = 0.005). However, there were no significant differences in the stimulation groups compared with control for any of these measurements.
Conclusion(s): The additional repetitions elicited by stimulation after the point of failure suggests that peripheral electrical and/or magnetic stimulation may be useful as an adjunct forresistance training. However, this effect of resistance training augmented by peripheral stimulationon hypertrophy, strength and knee laxity may be small.
Implications: In the clinic, the use of such peripheral stimuli may be beneficial to offset muscle atrophy, facilitateearly rehabilitation, and enhance resistance training protocols, especially when used for patientsrequiring rehabilitation associated with ACL reconstruction. Specifically, traumatised patients andathletes who aim for a faster return-to-play might benefit from the use of peripheral stimulation asan adjunct to weight training.
Keywords: Electrical stimulation, Magnetic stimulation, Strength
Funding acknowledgements: National Institute for Health research Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology and a scholarship from the Cultural Office Kuwait Embassy in London
be used to elicit muscle contractions to increase muscle hypertrophy, increase muscle strengthand reduce knee laxity in rehabilitation following injury.
Purpose: We aimed to examine the effect of athree-week exercise programme designed to induce muscle hypertrophy augmented by peripheralES and MS. We hypothesised that the use of peripheral stimulation to augment voluntary driveduring a resistance-training protocol would induce more repetitions thus leading to increased thigh circumference, muscle layer thickness, and quadriceps strength whilst decreasing knee laxity.
Methods: Thirty healthy participants were divided randomly into either ES, MS or Control groups. Five resistancetraining sessions were carried out, consisting of four sets of quadriceps extensions. During the firstthree sets the participants performed eight repetitions at 85% of their 1-repetition maximum (1-RM). On the last set, the participants were instructed to perform the exercise until failure.
Results: The augmentation of peripheral stimuli allowed the MS and ES groups to continue to exercise producing, on average, 4 2 and 7 6 additional repetitions with ES and MS, respectively. Following the training, significant increases were observed for both 1-RM (p = 0.005) and muscle layer thickness (p = 0.031) whilst no change was observed in thigh circumference (p = 0.365). Knee laxity decreased (p = 0.005). However, there were no significant differences in the stimulation groups compared with control for any of these measurements.
Conclusion(s): The additional repetitions elicited by stimulation after the point of failure suggests that peripheral electrical and/or magnetic stimulation may be useful as an adjunct forresistance training. However, this effect of resistance training augmented by peripheral stimulationon hypertrophy, strength and knee laxity may be small.
Implications: In the clinic, the use of such peripheral stimuli may be beneficial to offset muscle atrophy, facilitateearly rehabilitation, and enhance resistance training protocols, especially when used for patientsrequiring rehabilitation associated with ACL reconstruction. Specifically, traumatised patients andathletes who aim for a faster return-to-play might benefit from the use of peripheral stimulation asan adjunct to weight training.
Keywords: Electrical stimulation, Magnetic stimulation, Strength
Funding acknowledgements: National Institute for Health research Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology and a scholarship from the Cultural Office Kuwait Embassy in London
Topic: Musculoskeletal: lower limb; Orthopaedics; Sport & sports injuries
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: University of Birmingham
Ethics committee: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) committee
Ethics number: ERN-14-0188
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
