Feasibility of overnight electrical stimulation-induced muscle activation in people with a spinal cord injury: A Pilot study

Christof A J Smit; Frank Berenpas; Sonja de Groot; Janneke M Stolwijk-Swuste; Thomas W J Janssen

doi:10.1038/s41394-019-0254-0

Feasibility of overnight electrical stimulation-induced muscle activation in people with a spinal cord injury: A Pilot study

Christof A J Smit, Frank Berenpas, Sonja de Groot, Janneke M Stolwijk-Swuste, Thomas W J Janssen

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Abstract

Study Design: We investigated whether overnight ES is a feasible method to activate gluteal, quadriceps, and hamstrings muscles in a two-week experiment. Electrical stimulation (ES) induced muscle contractions have proven positive effects on risk factors for developing pressure ulcers in people with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Therefore prolonged overnight ES-induced muscle activation is interesting, but has never been studied.

Objective: To study feasibility of ES-induced leg muscle activation. In eight participants with motor complete SCI gluteal, hamstrings and quadriceps muscles were activated with a 2-weeks overnight stimulation protocol, 8 h per night, using specially developed ES-shorts.

Setting: The Netherlands.

Methods: Muscle fatigue was determined with a muscle contraction sensor. Questionnaires on sleep quality (SQ) and the ES-shorts usability were taken.

Results: After 8 h of activation muscles still contracted, although fatigue occurred, and mean contraction size was lower at the end of a cycle (p = 0.03). SQ (0-100) after intervention was 75, and 66 after 4 weeks without overnight ES (p = 0.04) indicating ES improves sleep quality. The usability of the ES-shorts was good.

Conclusions: This study shows that overnight ES-induced muscle activation using ES-shorts in SCI is a new, feasible method that does not interfere with sleep. The nightly use of the ES-shorts might be considered as an important part of the daily routine in SCI.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-5
Number of pages	5
Journal	Spinal cord series and cases
Volume	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-019-0254-0
Publication status	Published - 24 Jan 2020

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Feasibility of overnight electrical stimulationinduced muscle activation in people with a spinal cord injuryFinal published version, 685 KBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

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title = "Feasibility of overnight electrical stimulation-induced muscle activation in people with a spinal cord injury: A Pilot study",

abstract = "Study Design: We investigated whether overnight ES is a feasible method to activate gluteal, quadriceps, and hamstrings muscles in a two-week experiment. Electrical stimulation (ES) induced muscle contractions have proven positive effects on risk factors for developing pressure ulcers in people with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Therefore prolonged overnight ES-induced muscle activation is interesting, but has never been studied.Objective: To study feasibility of ES-induced leg muscle activation. In eight participants with motor complete SCI gluteal, hamstrings and quadriceps muscles were activated with a 2-weeks overnight stimulation protocol, 8 h per night, using specially developed ES-shorts.Setting: The Netherlands.Methods: Muscle fatigue was determined with a muscle contraction sensor. Questionnaires on sleep quality (SQ) and the ES-shorts usability were taken.Results: After 8 h of activation muscles still contracted, although fatigue occurred, and mean contraction size was lower at the end of a cycle (p = 0.03). SQ (0-100) after intervention was 75, and 66 after 4 weeks without overnight ES (p = 0.04) indicating ES improves sleep quality. The usability of the ES-shorts was good.Conclusions: This study shows that overnight ES-induced muscle activation using ES-shorts in SCI is a new, feasible method that does not interfere with sleep. The nightly use of the ES-shorts might be considered as an important part of the daily routine in SCI.",

author = "Smit, {Christof A J} and Frank Berenpas and {de Groot}, Sonja and Stolwijk-Swuste, {Janneke M} and Janssen, {Thomas W J}",

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AU - Stolwijk-Swuste, Janneke M

AU - Janssen, Thomas W J

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Feasibility of overnight electrical stimulation-induced muscle activation in people with a spinal cord injury: A Pilot study

Abstract

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