Comparison of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Cryotherapy for Increasing Quadriceps Activation in Patients With Knee Pathologies

Abstract

Clinical Scenario: Proper neuromuscular activation of the quadriceps muscle is essential for maintaining quadriceps (quad) strength and lower-extremity function. Quad activation (QA) failure is a common characteristic observed in patients with knee pathologies, defined as an inability to voluntarily activate the entire alpha-motor-neuron pool innervating the quad. One of the more popular techniques used to assess QA is the superimposed burst (SIB) technique, a force-based technique that uses a supramaximal, percutaneous electrical stimulation to activate all of the motor units in the quad during a maximal, voluntary isometric contraction. Central activation ratio (CAR) is the formula used to calculate QA level (CAR = voluntary force/SIB force) with the SIB technique. People who can voluntarily activate 95% or more (CAR = 0.95-1.0) of their motor units are defined as being fully activated. Therapeutic exercises aimed at improving quad strength in patients with knee pathologies are limited in their effectiveness due to a failure to fully activate the muscle. Within the past decade, several disinhibitory interventions have been introduced to treat QA failure in patients with knee pathologies. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and cryotherapy are sensory-targeted modalities traditionally used to treat pain, but they have been shown to be 2 of the most successful treatments for increasing QA levels in patients with QA failure. Both modalities are hypothesized to positively affect voluntary QA by disinhibiting the motor-neuron pool of the quad. In essence, these modalities provide excitatory afferent stimuli to the spinal cord, which thereby overrides the inhibitory afferent signaling that arises from the involved joint. However, it remains unknown whether 1 is more effective than the other for restoring QA levels in patients with knee pathologies. By knowing the capabilities of each disinhibitory modality, clinicians can tailor treatments based on the rehabilitation goals of their patients. Focused Clinical Question: Is TENS or cryotherapy the more effective disinhibitory modality for treating QA failure (quantified via CAR) in patients with knee pathologies?Keywords: rehabilitation, neuromuscular system, muscle function Clinical ScenarioProper neuromuscular activation of the quadriceps muscle is essential for maintaining quadriceps strength and lower-extremity function. Quadriceps activation failure is a common characteristic observed in patients with knee pathologies, and it is defined as an inability to voluntarily activate the entire alpha-motor-neuron pool innervating the quadriceps. 1 One of the more popular techniques used to assess quadriceps activation is the superimposed burst (SIB) technique. 2 The SIB technique is a force-based technique that uses a supramaximal, percutaneous electrical stimulation to activate all of the motor units in the quadriceps during a maximal, voluntary isometric contraction of the quadriceps. Central activation ratio (CAR) is the formula used to calculate quadric...

Fisioterapia en la inhibición muscular artrogenica. Revisión de literatura

“…Según Gabler y colaboradores en 2016, tanto la crioterapia y el TENS afectan positivamente el control de calidad voluntario al desinhibir las motoneuronas del cuádriceps. En esencia, estas modalidades proporcionan estímulos aferentes exitatorios a la médula espinal, lo que anula la señal inhibitoria aferente que surge de la articulación afectada [17,45]. Sandoval y colaboradores en 2011, demostraron que las aplicaciones de tres modalidades de crioterapia redujeron la temperatura de la piel (media 18.2 °C; p≤0.001), igualmente disminuyo la amplitud, la latencia y la duración del potencial de acción compuesto (p<0.05).…”

Does TENS Reduce the Intensity of Acute and Chronic Pain? A Comprehensive Appraisal of the Characteristics and Outcomes of 169 Reviews and 49 Meta-Analyses

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