Effect of stimulation frequency and intensity on skeletal muscle fatigue during repetitive electrical stimulation
Date
2005
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The goal of this project was to study strategies to improve muscle performance during functional electrical stimulation (FES). Specific Aim 1 compared isometric muscle performance during repetitive stimulation, with 3 different combinations of frequency and pulse duration to generate the same initial peak force: Protocol #1 used a long-pulse duration (600- & mu;s) and low-frequency; Protocol #2 used a medium-frequency (30-Hz) and medium-pulse duration; and Protocol #3 used high-frequency (60-Hz) and short-pulse duration. The results showed that if the frequency and intensity are kept constant during FES, repetitive stimulation using a low-frequency, long-pulse-duration (Protocol #1) maximized muscle performance. Specific Aim 2 compared isometric muscle performance during repetitive electrical stimulation using 3 different strategies: constant pulse-duration and stepwise increases in frequency (frequency-modulation), constant frequency and stepwise increases in pulse-duration (pulse-duration-modulation), and constant frequency and pulse-duration (no-modulation). The results showed that frequency-modulation can help improve muscle performance during FES.