American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation
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Am J Phys Med Rehabil · May 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialSensory transcutaneous electrical stimulation fails to decrease discomfort associated with neuromuscular electrical stimulation in healthy individuals.
Sensory transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is frequently used for pain modulation. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation used to induce strong muscle contractions is often limited by muscular discomfort and by discomfort associated with the electrical current. The objective of this study was to determine whether the application of TENS can reduce the discomfort associated with neuromuscular electrical stimulation, leading to stronger maximal electrically induced contractions. ⋯ Sensory TENS was not effective in modulating the discomfort associated with neuromuscular electrical stimulation in individuals with no known impairment. During periods of maximal electrically induced contractions, the pulling sensation of the muscle is generally more disconcerting than the sensation of the electrical current. Further studies are necessary to determine the effect of different stimulation parameters in patients with pathologic conditions.