[Is electrical stimulation with voluntary muscle contraction of physiologic interest in aging women?].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the physiological effects of electrical stimulation with voluntary muscle contraction exercise in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Thirty-two females aged 62 to 75 years were randomly assigned to three groups to perform four activity sessions for six weeks: group ME (N =11) climbed up and down stairs, group ES (N =11) practised electrostimulation, and group ME + ES (N = 10) undertook both activities. Physiological adaptations of body composition (lean and fat masses and bone mineral density), muscular strength (isometric and dynamic), vertical jump and posturokinetic activities (balance and gait) were analysed.


RESULTS
For the three groups, the isometric strength at angle 100 degrees (average increase right and left legs, ME: 19 N.m; ES: 4.5 N.m; ME + ES: 11.5 N.m), the dynamic strength at speed 60 degrees.s(-1) (average increase right and left leg, ME: 15 N.m; ES: 14 N.m; ME+ES: 18.5 N.m) and the vertical jump (ME: 23 mm; ES: 16 mm; ME + ES: 34 mm) increased contrary in the body composition and posturokinetic activities. Nevertheless, the group ME + ES adapted differently on some parameters of bone mineral density (P < 0.05) and dynamic strength (P < 0.01) in relation to the groups ES and ME.


CONCLUSIONS
Electrostimulation with voluntary muscle contraction exercise could induce different physiologic adaptations compared with electrostimulation or voluntary muscle contraction exercise alone.
Paillard
T
T
Unité d'évaluation de l'équilibre et de la marche, service gérontologie Casselardit, CHU de Purpan, 31500 Toulouse cedex, France. thierry.paillard@univ-pau.fr
Lafont
C
C
Pérès
C
C
Costes-Salon
M C
MC
Soulat
J M
JM
Montoya
R
R
Dupui
P
P
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D017698:Postmenopause