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Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Assessment of Neuromuscular Function Using Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Published on: September 13, 2015
Functional Performance, Subject-body Perception, and Safety Following Multi-muscle Electromuscular Stimulation: A
Kiya Movassaghi1, Niloo Marashi2, Shlomit Mann3
1Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
Background:
Electromuscular stimulation (EMS) and high-intensity focused electromagnetic technologies are widely used for non-invasive muscle strengthening and body contouring. Most available EMS devices induce repetitive contractions of isolated muscle groups resulting in increased muscle thickness and improved aesthetic outcome. However, the current literature is lacking evidence to support functional performance gain following EMS treatments.
Objectives:
To evaluate functional performance outcomes following treatment with a novel EMS technology. based on synchronized multi-muscle activation and regulated contraction duty cycles.
Methods:
Thirty-eight healthy adult subjects were equally randomized to treatment and blank control cohorts. The study was conducted between July 2025 and January 2026. The treatment protocol included six weekly sessions targeting abdominal, quadriceps, hamstring, and gluteal muscle groups. Functional performance assays included prone hip extension repetitions to measure gluteus, paced curl-up performance and side plank endurance to measure abdominal muscles and seated quadriceps extension repetitions for measuring quadriceps strength. Subject reported body perception was documented. Outcome measures were performed at baseline, week 5 (pre-last treatment), and week 9 (4 weeks post last treatment). Subjects' performance over time and comparisons between groups were analyzed.
Results:
The treatment group demonstrated statistically significant gain in repetition-based and endurance-based performance measures compared with baseline and control subjects. Improvements were maintained through the 4-week follow-up. Treated subjects body self perception was improved. The procedure was well tolerated, with low discomfort and no reported adverse events.
Conclusions:
Treatment with PlyoPulse technology was associated with measurable improvements in functional performance, enhanced body self perception and a favorable safety profile. The findings suggest that stimulation patterns incorporating a programmable synchronized multi muscles activation may better enhance coordinated neuromuscular recruitment consistent with exercise physiology.
