Muscular strength development by electrical stimulation in healthy individuals

Abstract

The effects of electrical stimulation and its comparison with various resistance training modes were investigated in 34 subjects who trained their dominant leg isometrically three times a week for five weeks. Group E (n = 8) used maximum voluntary isometric contractions only, Group S (n = 8) received only electrical stimulation, and Group ES (n = 9) trained using a concurrent combination of isometric exercise and electrical stimulation. In addition, Group C (n = 9), a control group, did no experimental training. The expected gain in torque was shown in the isometric strength scores of the three experimental groups; however, there was little change in the isometric strength of the control group and in the isokinetic (100, 200, and 300 degrees/sec) results of any of the four groups. After adjustments were made for pretest strength results, a one-way analysis of covariance indicated that the posttest isometric strength scores of the three experimental groups differed significantly from those of the control group. No other posttest differences were found among any of the other training modes.