Microcurrent treatment on pain, edema, and decreased muscle force associated with delayed onset muscle soreness: a double-blind, placebo, study

• Main Author: Hewlett, Kristi A
• Other Authors: KImura, Iris
• Published: University of Hawaii at Manoa 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10125/7000

Study Design: A double-blind, placebo design (two-factor: group and time, with repeated measures over time) was used. The independent variables were three treatment groups: MENS pain, MENS healing, and MENS sham. The dependent variables were perceived pain, palpable tenderness, circumference, resting joint angle (biceps shortening), and biceps isometric force. Objective: To investigate the effect of two different microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation (MENS) protocols on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) of the biceps muscles. Background: Microcurrent treatment is gaining popularity for management of acute injuries; however, the effectiveness of this therapeutic modality remains questionable. Methods and Measures: Subjects were 60 volunteers (22.3 ± 3.6 years of age) without upper extremity pathology. DOMS was administered to the non-writing upper extremity of each subject via 15 sets of 15 repetitions of eccentric biceps muscle activity at 60°/sec with a 1 min. rest period between sets, using the Biodex Multi-Joint Sytem 3 dynamometer (Biodex 3). Subjects completed a pretest session (Phase I), which was critical for confirming the acquisition of DOMS symptoms. Following the completion of Phase I, subjects were given a nine week rest period before Phase II DOMS administration, data collection, and MENS treatments began. DOMS was administered during Phase II with the protocol established in Phase I. Subjects were randomly assigned to the MENS pain (n =18), MENS healing (n =22), or MENS sham (n =20) groups. All groups received 20 min. treatments for five consecutive days. MENS pain and MENS healing groups received 100-600 uA, 30 Hz, and positive polarity and 40 uA, 0.3 Hz and positive polarity microcurrent treatment, respectively. The dependent variables were assessed before DOMS administration and after treatment on day one, as well as pre and post treatment at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours following eccentric activity. Perceived pain was assed via a Visual Analogue Scale, palpable tenderness via a Model 75 force gauge probe, edema via circumference and resting joint angle (biceps shortening), and biceps isometric force via Biodex 3. Data were analyzed using ANOVAs with repeated measures and Newman-Keuls post hoc tests when main effects were revealed. Results: Statistical analyses revealed no significant differences between treatment groups for any of the dependent variables. Significant differences were indicated between treatment days. Perceived pain decreased between days 1 and 5, 2 and 5, and 3 and 5; palpable tenderness decreased between days 2 and 5; and biceps isometric force increased between days 1 and 5. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the present study, MENS treatment (protocols for pain and healing) does not appear to be an effective treatment of DOMS. === viii, 95 leaves