Effect of Electrical Myostimulation on the Function of Lower Leg Muscles

Abstract

Electrical myostimulation (EMS) method is applied to improve skeletal muscle function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of EMS applied to the sole and calf muscles on their strength and on maximal sprint performance. Each of 10 training sessions involved 10 seconds of stimulation and 50 seconds of rest for a total of 10 minutes. After the 10 training sessions, the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of right calf muscles increased by 6.0% from 830.0 ± 47.0 N to 878.0 ± 45.3 N (p ≤ 0.05). When EMS was applied to trained athletes, their 10-m sprint performance improved by 2.1% (p ≤ 0.05). In the second part of the study, a 3-week training program with EMS was applied to athletes, which significantly improved their 10-m sprint performance from a standing start by 5.3% and from a running start by 4.7% (p ≤ 0.05). Thus, 10 EMS cycles up to the maximal tolerated intensity applied every other day improved the MVC of foot flexion muscles and 10-m sprint performance from both standing and running starts. Three weeks of EMS training did not affect the intensity of calf muscle blood flow and oxygen saturation at rest. The training program supplemented with 10 EMS sessions produced significantly greater effects on the 10-m sprint performance from both a standing and a running start.

The Impact of Strenght Electromyostimulation Training on Muscle Stiffness and Blood Flow: An Exploration Using Shear Wave Elastography and Superb Microvascular Imaging

“…In recent years, EMS has begun to be popularly used in the fields of exercise and sports. There are many studies investigating the effect of EMS training on speed, vertical jump, strength, resistance, flexibility, aerobic and anaerobic capacities, neural adaptation, muscle activation and muscle functions [6][7][8][9].…”

Hypoglossal-facial ‘side’-to-side neurorrhaphy combined with electrical myostimulation for facial palsy in rats

“…Many studies have shown that EMS can significantly improve muscle functions in patients suffering from end-stage renal disease, chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other severe conditions 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 . Furthermore, in trained athletes, EMS has shown effectiveness in enhancing the strength and function of the lower leg muscles 24 . There are also studies indicating that the regular EMS increase the oxidative capacity and enhance glucose disposal of the paralyzed muscles, to partly counteract the neurotrophic deficiency after the nerve injury 25, 26 .…”

Acute effect of electrical stimulation on the infraspinatus muscle using different types of muscle contractions and shoulder joint positions

“…Several studies have reported that ES training increased the strength of the lower limb muscles and improved their performance in healthy persons and athletes [6][7][8][9][10] , and it is considered to be effective for enhancing muscle function of the infraspinatus muscle. Previous studies have been conducted to estimate which parameters, e.g., intensity, frequency, and time are effective in increasing strength [11][12][13][14] .…”