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Int J Sports Med 2022; 43(01): 34-40
DOI: 10.1055/a-1510-9135
Physiology & Biochemistry

Effects of Arm-cranking Training with Electrical Muscle Stimulation on Vessel Function

Hajime Miura
1   Laboratory for Applied Physiology, Institutes of Socio-Arts and Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
,
Mizuki Ishikawa
2   Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Science, Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science, Osaka, Japan
,
Ayako Murakami
3   Center for Faculty-wide General Education, Shikoku University,Tokushima, Japan
,
Yasuaki Tamura
4   Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokushima Prefecture Naruto Hospital, Naruto, Japan
,
Kenichi Deguchi
4   Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokushima Prefecture Naruto Hospital, Naruto, Japan
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Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether arm-cranking training with electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) results in a greater improvement in vessel function than performing the same exercise without EMS. First, nine healthy young men performed two 20-min arm-cranking trials at 50% V˙O2max with and without EMS applied to the lower limbs. The flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the right brachial artery was measured using a high-resolution ultrasound device. Both FMD and normalized FMD were increased significantly after the arm-cranking with EMS trial, and significant differences were observed between the two trials. Second, 16 healthy adult men were randomly assigned to either the arm-cranking exercise training (A) group or arm-cranking training with EMS (A+EMS) group. The subjects were engaged in 20 min of arm-cranking at 50% V˙O2max twice a week for 8 weeks with/without EMS applied to the lower limbs. The FMD increased significantly after A+EMS training session and the FMD in A+EMS group was significantly higher than that in the A group. These results indicate that acute/chronic endurance arm-cranking with EMS applied to the lower limbs improves the brachial artery endothelial function more markedly than the same exercise without EMS.

Key words

electrical muscle stimulation - arm-cranking - training - endothelial function - flow-mediated vasodilation


Publication History

Received: 10 January 2021

Accepted: 06 May 2021

Article published online:
09 July 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
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