Preventing fatigue of fast striated muscles of the pelvic floor and slow striated muscles of the limb by manipulating the on-off time of electric stimulation.

Abstract

To investigate in vitro the effect of different on-off electrostimulation times on the fatigue of 2 pelvic muscles, the iliococcygeus and pubococcygeus (mainly fast), and the soleus muscle of the limb (mainly slow). Nonrandomized controlled trial and before-after trial. In vitro study in tissue baths on stabilized preparations of whole striated muscles. Young healthy female Wistar rats. Applied isometric tetanic contractions of various stimulation durations (on-off times) to dissected rat iliococcygeus and pubococcygeus (at 66Hz) and soleus (at 25Hz) muscles. Muscle fatigue with changing on-off, frequency, and stimulation times. The longer the off time, the less the fatigue. Shortening the stimulation time can minimize fatigue. Optimal combinations are presented to limit fatigue. Changing on-off time and stimulation time can be used to make electric stimulation of pelvic muscles more effective.