Thirty healthy, young adults (18 to 25 years of age), were volunteers in a three-group study to determine the efficacy of transcutaneous electrostimulation as a means of preventing atrophy of normal musculature on wearing a long-leg cast. Each group of ten subjects (five males and five females) were chosen by lot: Group I, nonisometric, Group II, isometric; Group III, TMS electrostimulated thigh and calf muscles. There was little difference in the findings in Groups I and II, and each lost a appreciable amount of muscle mass and power after just two weeks of immobilization. However, in the electrostimulated group muscle atrophy was one-half that of the other groups in the thigh area and one-fifth that of the others in the calf area. In addition, the calf musculature retained its bulk and power with actual increase in a few of the less athletic individuals. Transcutaneous muscle stimulation offers great promise for surgically treated or impaired extremities, enabling early return to activity with optimal function.
CITATION STYLE
Gould, N., Donnermeyer, D., Pope, M., & Ashikaga, T. (1982). Transcutaneous muscle stimulation as a method to retard disuse atrophy. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 164, 215–220. https://doi.org/10.1097/00003086-198204000-00037
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