A new paradigm of neuromuscular electrical stimulation for the quadriceps femoris muscle

作者：Maffiuletti Nicola A^*; Vivodtzev Isabelle; Minetto Marco A; Place Nicolas

来源：European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2014, 114(6): 1197-1205.

DOI：10.1007/s00421-014-2849-2

• Quadriceps
• Discomfort
• Evoked force
• Fatigue

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) with large electrodes and multiple current pathways (m-NMES) has recently been proposed as a valid alternative to conventional NMES (c-NMES) for quadriceps muscle (re)training. The main aim of this study was to compare discomfort, evoked force and fatigue between m-NMES and c-NMES of the quadriceps femoris muscle in healthy subjects. %26lt;br%26gt;Ten healthy subjects completed two experimental sessions (c-NMES and m-NMES), that were randomly presented in a cross-over design. Maximal electrically evoked force at pain threshold, self-reported discomfort at different levels of evoked force, and fatigue-induced force declines during and following a series of 20 NMES contractions were compared between c-NMES and m-NMES. %26lt;br%26gt;m-NMES resulted in greater evoked force (P %26lt; 0.05) and lower discomfort in comparison to c-NMES (P %26lt; 0.05-0.001), but fatigue time course and magnitude did not differ between the two conditions. %26lt;br%26gt;The use of quadriceps m-NMES appears legitimate for (re)training purposes because it generated stronger contractions and was less discomfortable than c-NMES (due to multiple current pathways and/or lower current density with larger electrodes).

• 出版日期2014-6