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The effect of a portable electrical muscle stimulation device at home on muscle strength and activation patterns in locomotive syndrome patients: A randomized control trial. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2019 Apr;45:46-52

Date

02/26/2019

Pubmed ID

30802718

DOI

10.1016/j.jelekin.2019.02.007

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85061829288 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   23 Citations

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to quantify the effect of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) intervention using a portable device on muscle strength and activation patterns in locomotive syndrome. Nineteen women were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 10; age = 71-82 years) and control group (n = 9; age = 70-84 years). Participants in the intervention group used a portable EMS device to stimulate the bilateral quadriceps muscles for 8 weeks (23 min/5 days/week). To understand the effects of EMS, the following measurements were made at baseline, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks: locomotive syndrome assessment score, knee extensor strength, vastus lateralis muscle activation patterns during a maximal isometric knee extension contraction using multi-channel surface electromyography, and muscle thickness. The locomotive syndrome assessment, muscle strength, muscle thickness, and muscle activity patterns in the intervention group were significantly different to control after 8 weeks (p < 0.05). However, these results were not sustained at 12 weeks. EMS increased locomotor assessment scores, which were accompanied by enhanced muscle strength, increased muscle thickness, and changes in muscle activation patterns in locomotive syndrome patients. These results suggest that EMS is potentially useful for improving muscle neural activation and force output in locomotive syndrome.

Author List

Nishikawa Y, Watanabe K, Kawade S, Takahashi T, Kimura H, Maruyama H, Hyngstrom A

Author

Allison Hyngstrom PhD Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy department at Marquette University




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Electric Stimulation
Female
Gait
Humans
Isometric Contraction
Muscle Strength
Quadriceps Muscle
Sarcopenia