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Effects Of Whole-body Electromyostimulation Training On Knee Sensorimotor Characteristics

2023; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 55; Issue: 9S Linguagem: Inglês

10.1249/01.mss.0000987736.14476.a5

1530-0315

Nathan D. Schilaty, Jaskanwal D. Sara, Takashi Nagai, Logan Breuer, Amir Lerman,

Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials

Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) training has been used and shown to increase muscular strength by involuntarily recruiting large motor units during maximum voluntary isometric contractions in several positions. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of a 16-wk WB-EMS training (1x/wk) on knee sensorimotor characteristics. METHODS: A total of 20 participants (13F/7M, 37 ± 12yo, 170 ± 8 cm, 73 ± 18 kg, BMI:25 ± 6) completed pre-/post-intervention lab testing and 16-wk WB-EMS training instructed by a certified EMS trainer while a total of 8 participants served as a control group (6F/2M, 34 ± 11yo, 168 ± 5 cm, 68 ± 13 kg, BMI:24 ± 5). For testing, participants sat on a custom-built isometric dynamometer to measure knee force production (peak force: PF, rate of force development: RFD, and hamstrings/quadriceps ratio: H/Q). Additionally, a visual cue on a monitor was used to examine visual-motor reaction time (VMRT). For force steadiness (calculated as coefficient of variation: CV), participants were asked to produce 50 N and hold steady for 10s. The trials were repeated with visual (Vis) and without visual feedback (NoVis). WB-EMS training consisted of 12reps of squats, lunges, standing crunches, standing rotations, knee pushes, and hip hinges (30 min/session; 1x/wk/16wks). Intensity was gradually increased by tuning WB-EMS voltage to activate more muscles over the course of 16 wks. Paired and Student t-tests were used to compare dependent variables within and between the groups, respectively (p < 0.05). RESULTS: There were significant increases in knee flexion PF L (PRE:2.4 ± 1.1, POST:3.0 ± 1.4, p = 0.006), PF R (PRE:2.5 ± 1.3, POST:3.3(1.5), p = 0.001), H/Q L (PRE:39.9 ± 13.8, POST:44.9 ± 14.1, p = 0.033), H/Q R (PRE:36.4 ± 12.3, POST:42.8 ± 10.5, p = 0.037), and decrease in force steadiness Vis CV L (PRE:2.4 ± 0.7, POST:2.0 ± 0.6, p = 0.018) and Vis CV R (PRE:2.6 ± 1.0, POST:1.9 ± 0.5, p = 0.028) in the experimental group while there were significant decrements in knee extension PF and RFD in the control group (p < 0.05). The experimental group performed significantly better than the control group in PK, RFD, and H/Q (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased knee flexion PF and H/Q ratio suggests that WB-EMS training could be incorporated as a part of rehabilitation or preventive training.