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Biceps brachii muscle oxygenation in electrical muscle stimulation
Makii Muthalib1,2, Marc Jubeau1,3, Guillaume Y Millet1,4
1School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia.
Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging
|July 13, 2010
Summary
Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and maximal voluntary (VOL) contractions show similar biceps muscle oxygenation changes. However, EMS is less efficient, with lower muscle blood volume compared to VOL contractions.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Muscle Physiology
Background:
- Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive tool for assessing muscle oxygenation and hemodynamics.
- Understanding the physiological differences between electrically induced and voluntary muscle contractions is crucial for optimizing training and rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare biceps brachii muscle oxygenation and hemodynamics between electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and maximal voluntary (VOL) isometric contractions.
- To evaluate the efficiency of EMS versus VOL contractions using tissue oxygenation index (TOI) and total hemoglobin (tHb) measurements.
Main Methods:
- Ten healthy men underwent intermittent isometric contractions of elbow flexors using either EMS or VOL protocols.
- NIRS was used to measure changes in biceps brachii muscle oxygenation (TOI) and hemodynamics (tHb).
- Torque production and contraction efficiency were analyzed for both conditions.
Main Results:
- While VOL contractions produced approximately double the torque of EMS, changes in TOI amplitude and slope were similar between conditions.
- Muscle oxygenation efficiency (TOI amplitude/peak torque) was significantly lower during EMS compared to VOL.
- A greater decrease in tHb amplitude was observed during EMS from the 10th contraction onwards, indicating reduced muscle blood volume.
Conclusions:
- Local oxygen demand in the biceps brachii is comparable between VOL and EMS contractions when assessed by NIRS.
- EMS is less efficient than VOL contractions, likely due to differences in muscle activation and recruitment patterns.
- NIRS can differentiate hemodynamic responses, suggesting lower muscle blood volume during EMS compared to VOL contractions.
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