Electromyography activity and muscle strength after treatment with neural mobilization: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Historically skeletal muscle strength has been the subject of numerous scientific investigations. Which, besides defining its role in health and disease process also identified neuromuscular mechanisms to modify it. Another interesting point is that in recent decades, authors have suggested that neural mobilization techniques can modify the neuromuscular physiology, however, little is known about its effects on muscle strength. Objective: To systematically investigate the effects of neural mobilization techniques on muscle strength. Methods: A systematic review performed in Google Scholar databases, Latindex, Lilacs, Pubmed and Scielo, through the descriptors: Muscle Strength, Muscle Contraction, Neural Mobilization and Neurodynamics Mobilization. Transverse and longitudinal controlled studies were included. Studies testing the neural mobilization of the muscle contraction force or humans or animals healthy or to peripheral nerve injury. The selected studies were published between the years 2010 and 2014 in national and international journals with Qualis between B1 and B2 according to an evaluation of the top professional development coordination. Results: The screening process resulted in the identification of 70 studies, of which only five not fit the eligibility criteria. Selected manuscripts indicated acute and chronic effects of neural mobilization on muscle strength in healthy volunteers with peripheral nerve damage by leprosy and rats with sciatic neuropathy. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate positive effects of neural mobilization in relation to the recruitment of muscle fibers, increasing strength and maintaining muscle strength in healthy volunteers and the peripheral nervous system injury.