The effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on quadriceps muscle strength
Item
- Title
- The effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on quadriceps muscle strength
- Author(s)
- Abraham, Nissim
- Abstract
- BackgroundNeuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a form of electrotherapy where an electrical current stimulates the motor end plates and type II muscle fibres of a targeted muscle, resulting in isometric contractions of the intended muscle to be strengthened. Evidence suggests there may be a potential clinical application for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the strengthening of muscles as adjuncts to manual therapy for a wide spectrum of musculoskeletal disorders, however there is currently limited research investigating the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in healthy populations. Evidence indicates that unilateral strength training may increase the strength of the untrained limb, this phenomenon is known as contralateral crossover and there are four potential mechanisms that explain this phenomenon; the muscular mechanism, the peripheral neural mechanism, the spinal cord mechanism, and the cerebral cortical mechanism. This study aims to investigate the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on muscle strength of the quadriceps muscle, in addition to observing the possible effects associated with the contralateral crossover phenomenon. Methods9 subjects were divided into one of two intervention groups and randomized, subjects comprised of healthy students between the ages of 18 and 35, males n=5 and females n=4. Subjects from both intervention groups were asked to attend two sessions per week over a three-week period. Participants from intervention group A undertook a three-speed isokinetic dynamometer test on the trained limb, subjects then undertook 32 minutes of the pre-set muscle strengthening programme at the maximal tolerated output, at the conclusion of the electrical simulation intervention a second three 3 speed isokinetic dynamometer test was performed on the same limb. Participants from intervention group B undertook a three-speed isokinetic dynamometer test on the untrained limb, subjects then undertook 32 minutes of the pre-set muscle strengthening programme on the dominant limb, a second three speed isokinetic dynamometer test was performed on the contralateral limb to the intervention limb. ResultsMean values were evaluated from data produced from the isokinetic dynamometer testing prior and post intervention, the data was compared across groups and across all six sessions. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation did not appear to have a statistically significant effect on quadriceps muscle strength on either the ipsilateral trained limb or contralateral untrained limb (P>0.05).
- Date Accepted
- 2017
- Date Submitted
- 12.11.2018 15:10:57
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Number of pages
- 27
- Submitted by:
- 4457
- Pub-Identifier
- 16246
- Keywords
- Muscle strength, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, unilateral strength training
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Abraham, Nissim, “The effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on quadriceps muscle strength”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 4, 2025, https://www.osteopathicresearch.org/s/orw/item/1666