Physiological and methodological considerations for the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation.
The main aim of this review is to discuss some evidence-based physiological and methodological considerations for optimal use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in healthy and impaired skeletal muscles. After a quick overview of the main applications, interests and limits of NMES use, the first section concentrates on two crucial aspects of NMES physiology: the differences in motor unit recruitment pattern between NMES and voluntary contractions, and the involvement of the nervous system during peripheral NMES. The second section of the article focuses on the most common NMES parameters, which entail the characteristics of both the electrical current (the input) and the evoked contraction (the output).
Maffiuletti
Nicola A
NA
Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Schulthess Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland. nicola.maffiuletti@kws.ch
D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor; D006801:Humans; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011999:Recruitment, Neurophysiological
Scand J Rehabil Med. 1985;17(3):141-6
4059886
J Physiol. 1981 Feb;311:463-73
7264979
Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Jul;76(1):113-9
12081824
Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2006 Dec;1(4):406-7
19124897
Phys Ther. 1983 Jun;63(6):915-21
6856678
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1988 Oct;20(5 Suppl):S135-45
3057313
Phys Ther. 2005 Apr;85(4):358-64
15794706
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995 Dec;27(12):1671-6
8614324
J Appl Physiol (1985). 1990 Apr;68(4):1657-67
2347805
Phys Ther. 2007 Aug;87(8):1064-77
17553920
Int J Sports Med. 2007 Nov;28(11):901-4
17525881
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992 Jun;24(6):702-7
1602943
Haemophilia. 2006 Nov;12(6):629-32
17083514
Int J Sports Med. 1993 Jan;14(1):20-8
8440541
Exp Physiol. 2008 Jul;93(7):843-50
18296492
Aust J Physiother. 1988;34(3):151-64
25026069
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1995 Aug;77(8):1166-73
7642660
Phys Ther. 1985 Feb;65(2):186-96
3871529
Clin Rehabil. 2001 Dec;15(6):637-46
11777094
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2007 Jul;103(1):170-6
17463296
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Aug;37(8):1291-9
16118574
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2003 Mar;94(3):1012-24
12571132
J Neurophysiol. 2006 Jun;95(6):3328-35
16481458
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Mar;37(3):455-60
15741845
Phys Ther. 1991 Oct;71(10):715-21; discussion 722-3
1946610
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2008 Jan;104(1):75-81
17975128
Aust J Physiother. 1986;32(1):18-30
25026318
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000 Nov;83(4 -5):409-15
11138583
Motor Control. 1999 Apr;3(2):205-19
10198150
Sports Med. 1988 Jul;6(1):29-41
3051257
Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1999 Sep;80(4):394-6
10483812
J Orthop Res. 1993 Jan;11(1):131-41
8423515
Physiother Res Int. 2007 Sep;12(3):175-94
17624871
Muscle Nerve. 2005 Apr;31(4):475-80
15617094
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2000 Aug;81(8):1090-8
10943761
Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2001 Mar;80(3):206-14; quiz 215-6, 224
11237275
Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2007 Jul;35(3):102-9
17620928
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2004 Nov;97(5):1923-9
15258127
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2004 Jan;34(1):21-9
14964588
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1994 Jul;20(1):22-8
8081406
Sports Med. 1992 May;13(5):320-36
1565927
Can J Appl Physiol. 1994 Dec;19(4):451-61
7849661
Dev Med Child Neurol. 1986 Oct;28(5):662-70
3536642
Eur Heart J. 2003 May;24(9):871-8
12727155
J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Aug;17(3):573-9
12930189
Artif Organs. 1999 May;23(5):428-31
10378935
Muscle Nerve. 2010 Jan;41(1):54-62
19882645
J Appl Physiol (1985). 1991 Jan;70(1):306-16
2010386
J Neurophysiol. 1965 May;28:560-80
14328454
Muscle Nerve. 2000 Apr;23(4):482-9
10716757
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2002 Apr;92(4):1383-92
11896001
Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2007 Aug 1;157(2-3):341-7
17210271
Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1987 Mar;12(2):112-8
2954215
Phys Ther. 1991 Apr;71(4):273-80; discussion 280-2
2008451
Int J Sports Med. 2006 Jun;27(6):475-82
16767612
Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2008 Jul;28(4):251-61
18355344
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995 Apr;27(4):556-65
7791587
J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Mar;23(2):677-82
19209077
Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2006 Feb;85(2):167-75
16428910
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002 Oct;34(10):1638-44
12370566
Int J Sports Med. 1989 Jun;10(3):187-91
2674035
Support Care Cancer. 2006 Sep;14(9):970-3
16523264
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1991 Aug;73(7):1025-36
1874764
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 Aug;28(8):999-1014
8871910
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006 Sep;36(9):678-85
17017273
Ann Neurol. 2008 Apr;63(4):507-12
18300313
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1983 Sep;(178):190-7
6603941
Eur J Clin Invest. 1989 Apr;19(2):206-12
2499480
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Jun;37(6):973-8
15947722
Int J Sports Med. 1998 Jul;19(5):317-22
9721054
Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2007 Oct;35(4):180-5
17921786
Phys Ther. 1988 May;68(5):660-3
3258994
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2005 Jul;94(4):424-33
15843959
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2003 Sep;33(9):492-501
14524508
Sports Med. 2005;35(3):191-212
15730336
Horm Res. 2001;56 Suppl 1:24-8
11786681
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 Dec;85(12):2040-5
15605345
Pflugers Arch. 1983 Jul;398(2):139-41
6622220
J Appl Physiol (1985). 1993 Feb;74(2):532-7
8458767
Phys Ther. 1992 Jun;72(6):410-21; discussion on 421-4
1589461
Chest. 2006 Jun;129(6):1540-8
16778272
Int J Sports Med. 2005 Dec;26(10):847-53
16320169
Am J Sports Med. 1979 May-Jun;7(3):169-71
313717
Lancet. 1988 Oct 1;2(8614):767-70
2901612
Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol. 2003 Sep;43(6):381-4
14535052
Exp Brain Res. 2003 May;150(1):33-9
12698214
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003 Nov;90(5-6):601-7
12923640
Aviat Space Environ Med. 1989 Jul;60(7):671-8
2764851
Dev Med Child Neurol. 2009 Oct;51 Suppl 4:154-65
19740224
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2004 Nov;97(5):1954-61
15247162
J Strength Cond Res. 2007 May;21(2):431-7
17530954
Physiol Rev. 2001 Oct;81(4):1725-89
11581501
Sports Med. 1992 Aug;14(2):100-13
1509225
J Rheumatol. 1995 Sep;22(9):1757-61
8523357
Sports Med. 2008;38(5):437-8; author reply 438-40
18416596
Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2007 Nov-Dec;21(6):475-85
17369515
Int J Sports Med. 1981 Feb;2(1):18-22
7333731
Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1988;57(1):1-5
3342785
J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev. 2008 Mar-Apr;28(2):79-91
18360183
J Orthop Res. 1996 Jan;14(1):131-8
8618155
Crit Care. 2009;13(5):R161
19814793
Muscle Nerve. 2002 Jun;25(6):763-4
12115963
Phys Ther. 1994 Oct;74(10):901-7
8090841
Exp Brain Res. 1997 Mar;114(1):117-23
9125456
Respir Med. 2009 Apr;103(4):485-95
19091537