Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been applied in training and competition, but its effects on physical performance remain largely unknown. This study aimed to observe the effect of tDCS on muscular strength and knee activation. Nineteen healthy young men were subjected to 20 min of real stimulation (2 mA) and sham stimulation (0 mA) over the primary motor cortex (M1) bilaterally on different days. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the knee extensors and flexors, and surface electromyography (sEMG) of the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) were recorded before, immediately after, and 30 min after stimulation. MVC, rate of force development (RFD), and sEMG activity were analyzed before and after each condition. MVC of the non-dominant leg extensor and flexor was significantly higher immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation than before, and MVC of the non-dominant leg flexor was significantly higher 30 min after real stimulation than that after sham stimulation (P < 0.05). The RFD of the non-dominant leg extensor and flexor immediately after real stimulation was significantly higher than before stimulation, and the RFD of the non-dominant leg extensor immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation was significantly higher than that of sham stimulation (P < 0.05). EMG analysis showed the root mean square amplitude and mean power frequency (MPF) of the non-dominant BF and RF were significantly higher immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation than before stimulation, and the MPF of the non-dominant BF EMG was significantly higher 30 min after real stimulation than that after sham stimulation (P < 0.05). Bilateral tDCS of the M1 can significantly improve the muscle strength and explosive force of the non-dominant knee extensor and flexor, which might result from increased recruitment of motor units. This effect can last until 30 min after stimulation, but there is no significant effect on the dominant knee.

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been applied in training and competition, but its effects on physical performance remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to observe the effect of tDCS on muscular strength and activation of the knee in healthy subjects. Methods: Nineteen healthy young males were subjected to 20 min real stimulation (2 mA) and sham stimulation (0 mA) on different days. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of knee extensors and flexors and surface electromyography (sEMG) of the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) were recorded before, immediately after, and 30 min after stimulation. MVC, rate of force development (RFD), and sEMG activity were analyzed before and after each condition. Results: MVC of left leg extensor and flexor was significantly higher immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation than before, and MVC of left leg flexor was significantly higher 30 min after real stimulation than that after sham stimulation (P < 0.05). The RFD of left leg extensor and flexor immediately after real stimulation was significantly higher than before stimulation, and the RFD of left leg extensor immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation was significantly higher than that of sham stimulation (P < 0.05). EMG analysis showed the root mean square amplitude(RMS) and mean power frequency (MPF) of left BF and RF were significantly higher immediately after real stimulation and 30 min after stimulation than before stimulation, and the MPF of left BF EMG was significantly higher 30 min after real stimulation than that after sham stimulation (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Bilateral tDCS of the primary motor cortex can significantly improve the muscle strength and explosive force of the non-dominant knee extensor and flexor, which is manifested by the increase of the amount of motor units recruited during exercise. This effect can last until 30 min after stimulation, but there is no significant effect on the dominant knee.

Purpose: It has been reported that young people may be able to modulate simultaneous contraction depending on the task. The functional reach test (FRT) is widely used as a method to assess dynamic balance. Although there are several reports on the center of pressure (COP), there are few reports on muscle activity and no studies focus on muscle co-contraction during FRT at different distances. We aimed to clarify how the differences in reach distance affect the activity of the lower limb muscles by measuring COP and muscle activity during FRT at different distances. Methods: Eighteen healthy young adults performed FRT at different distances (maximum, 75%, and 50%) and measured COP and muscle activity of tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (SOL). Postural control variables were calculated from the COP, and mean muscle activity and muscle co-contraction index (CI) were calculated from muscle activity. Each variable was compared between the reach distance conditions and the correlation between the variable was examined. Results: Most COP variables were significantly higher as the reach distance increased. A significant increase in muscle activity and CI was similarly observed with increasing distance. There was no consistent correlation between COP variables and CI, but there was a positive correlation between TA muscle activity and CI. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that the young people used task-specific strategies by modulating lower limb muscle contraction and varying the degree of simultaneous muscle contraction during reaching movements at different distances.