Test–retest reliability of wide‐pulse high‐frequency neuromuscular electrical stimulation evoked force

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daria Neyroud ◽  
Sidney Grosprêtre ◽  
Julien Gondin ◽  
Bengt Kayser ◽  
Nicolas Place
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Donnelly ◽  
Jonathan Stegmüller ◽  
Anthony J. Blazevich ◽  
Fabienne Crettaz von Roten ◽  
Bengt Kayser ◽  
...  

AbstractThe effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for rehabilitation is proportional to the evoked torque. The progressive increase in torque (extra torque) that may develop in response to low intensity wide-pulse high-frequency (WPHF) NMES holds great promise for rehabilitation as it overcomes the main limitation of NMES, namely discomfort. WPHF NMES extra torque is thought to result from reflexively recruited motor units at the spinal level. However, whether WPHF NMES evoked force can be modulated is unknown. Therefore, we examined the effect of two interventions known to change the state of spinal circuitry in opposite ways on evoked torque and motor unit recruitment by WPHF NMES. The interventions were high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and anodal transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS). We show that TENS performed before a bout of WPHF NMES results in lower evoked torque (median change in torque time-integral: − 56%) indicating that WPHF NMES-evoked torque might be modulated. In contrast, the anodal tsDCS protocol used had no effect on any measured parameter. Our results demonstrate that WPHF NMES extra torque can be modulated and although the TENS intervention blunted extra torque production, the finding that central contribution to WPHF NMES-evoked torques can be modulated opens new avenues for designing interventions to enhance WPHF NMES.


2017 ◽  
Vol 128 (9) ◽  
pp. e295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ece Boran ◽  
Sergey Burnos ◽  
Tommaso Fedele ◽  
Niklaus Krayenbühl ◽  
Peter Hilfiker ◽  
...  

2006 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 1312-1319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard K. Shields ◽  
Shauna Dudley-Javoroski ◽  
Keith R. Cole

Chronically paralyzed muscle requires extensive training before it can deliver a therapeutic dose of repetitive stress to the musculoskeletal system. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation, under feedback control, may subvert the effects of fatigue, yielding more rapid and extensive adaptations to training. The purposes of this investigation were to 1) compare the effectiveness of torque feedback-controlled (FDBCK) electrical stimulation with classic open-loop constant-frequency (CONST) stimulation, and 2) ascertain which of three stimulation strategies best maintains soleus torque during repetitive stimulation. When torque declined by 10%, the FDBCK protocol modulated the base stimulation frequency in three ways: by a fixed increase, by a paired pulse (doublet) at the beginning of the stimulation train, and by a fixed decrease. The stimulation strategy that most effectively restored torque continued for successive contractions. This process repeated each time torque declined by 10%. In fresh muscle, FDBCK stimulation offered minimal advantage in maintaining peak torque or mean torque over CONST stimulation. As long-duration fatigue developed in subsequent bouts, FDBCK stimulation became most effective (∼40% higher final normalized torque than CONST). The high-frequency strategy was selected ∼90% of the time, supporting that excitation-contraction coupling compromise and not neuromuscular transmission failure contributed to fatigue of paralyzed muscle. Ideal stimulation strategies may vary according to the site of fatigue; this stimulation approach offered the advantage of online modulation of stimulation strategies in response to fatigue conditions. Based on stress-adaptation principles, FDBCK-controlled stimulation may enhance training effects in chronically paralyzed muscle.


Author(s):  
Loïc Espeit ◽  
Vianney Rozand ◽  
Guillaume Y. Millet ◽  
Julien Gondin ◽  
Nicola A. Maffiuletti ◽  
...  

Low-frequency and high-frequency wide-pulse neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) can generate extra-torque (ET) via afferent pathways. Superimposing tendon vibration (TV) to NMES can increase the activation of these afferent pathways and favour ET generation. Knowledge of the characteristics of ET is essential to implement these stimulation paradigms in clinical practice. Thus, we aimed at investigating the effects of frequency and TV superimposition on the occurrence and magnitude of ET in response to wide-pulse NMES. NMES-induced isometric plantar flexion torque was recorded in 30 healthy individuals who performed five NMES protocols: wide-pulse low-frequency (1 ms; 20 Hz; WPLF) and wide-pulse high-frequency (1 ms; 100 Hz; WPHF) without and with superimposed TV (1 mm; 100 Hz) and conventional NMES (50 µs; 20 Hz; reference protocol). Each NMES protocol began with an adjustment of NMES intensity in order to reach 10% of maximal voluntary contraction then consisted of three 20-s trains interspersed by 90 s of rest. The ET occurrence was similar for WPLF and WPHF (p=0.822). In the responders, the ET magnitude was greater for WPHF than WPLF (p<0.001). There was no effect of superimposed TV on ET characteristics. This study reported an effect of NMES frequency on ET magnitude, whereas TV superimposition did not affect this parameter. In the context of our experimental design decisions, the present findings question the clinical use of wide-pulse NMES and its combination with superimposed TV. Yet, further research is needed in order to maximize force production through the occurrence and magnitude of ET.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Epameinondas Angelopoulos ◽  
Eleftherios Karatzanos ◽  
Stavros Dimopoulos ◽  
Georgios Mitsiou ◽  
Christos Stefanou ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (10) ◽  
pp. 1281-1289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daria Neyroud ◽  
David Dodd ◽  
Julien Gondin ◽  
Nicola A. Maffiuletti ◽  
Bengt Kayser ◽  
...  

We compared the extent and origin of muscle fatigue induced by short-pulse-low-frequency [conventional (CONV)] and wide-pulse-high-frequency (WPHF) neuromuscular electrical stimulation. We expected CONV contractions to mainly originate from depolarization of axonal terminal branches (spatially determined muscle fiber recruitment) and WPHF contractions to be partly produced via a central pathway (motor unit recruitment according to size principle). Greater neuromuscular fatigue was, therefore, expected following CONV compared with WPHF. Fourteen healthy subjects underwent 20 WPHF (1 ms-100 Hz) and CONV (50 μs-25 Hz) evoked isometric triceps surae contractions (work/rest periods 20:40 s) at an initial target of 10% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force. Force-time integral of the 20 evoked contractions (FTI) was used as main index of muscle fatigue; MVC force loss was also quantified. Central and peripheral fatigue were assessed by voluntary activation level and paired stimulation amplitudes, respectively. FTI in WPHF was significantly lower than in CONV (21,717 ± 11,541 vs. 37,958 ± 9,898 N·s P<0,001). The reductions in MVC force (WPHF: −7.0 ± 2.7%; CONV: −6.2 ± 2.5%; P < 0.01) and paired stimulation amplitude (WPHF: −8.0 ± 4.0%; CONV: −7.4 ± 6.1%; P < 0.001) were similar between conditions, whereas no change was observed for voluntary activation level ( P > 0.05). Overall, our results showed a different motor unit recruitment pattern between the two neuromuscular electrical stimulation modalities with a lower FTI indicating greater muscle fatigue for WPHF, possibly limiting the presumed benefits for rehabilitation programs.


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