Effect of electrical stimulation training and detraining on abdominal muscle function.

Abstract

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) has been applied in many rehabilitation settings for muscle strengthening, facilitation of muscle contraction, re-education of muscle action, and maintenance of muscle strength and size during prolonged immobilization. The purpose of this study was to investigate effect of 8 weeks of EMS training on abdominal muscle function and to determine whether the training effect could be maintained after 4 weeks of EMS detraining. Twenty-five subjects performed EMS training for 8 weeks. Before and after 8 weeks of EMS training, and after 4 weeks of EMS detraining, muscle size (cross-sectional area [CSA] of the rectus abdominals [RA] and lateral abdominal wall [LAW]), strength, endurance, and lumbopelvic control (LC) were measured. There were significant increases in CSA [RA (p< 0.001); LAW (p< 0.001)], strength [trunk flexor (p= 0.005); side-bridge (p< 0.05)], endurance [trunk flexor (p= 0.010); side-bridge (p< 0.05)], and LC (p< 0.05) after 8 weeks of EMS training. The CSA of the RA (p< 0.05) and the LAW (p< 0.001) were measured after 4 weeks of detraining and they were greater than that of the baseline. There were no significant differences in abdominal strength, endurance, and LC between baseline measurements and post-detraining. The study indicates that there is less of a detraining effect on muscle size than on muscle strength, endurance, and LC.