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The effects of electrical stimulation on muscular strength and endurance of the extensor muscles of the hand

The main purpose of this study was to observe the changes in muscular strength and endurance of the extensor muscles of the hand after the arm had been exposed to electrical stimulation.
Twenty-four university students were chosen for this study. The subjects were divided into three groups of eight,, attempting to make each group homogeneous with respect to their Maximal Voluntary Iscitetric Contraction of the extensor muscles of the hand.
All subjects were trained with the hand at 150 degrees with respect to the forearm (Position 1) . Group 1 (ES) received five minutes of electrical stimulation to the dorsal surface of the forearm each weekday for a four week period. The placement of the electrodes were at the musculotendonous area of the extensor muscles of the hand. The intensity of the faradic stimulation was just below the subjects pain threshold. Each contraction elicited by the electrical stimulation was for a duration of 880 msec, and the relaxation between each contraction was 1030 msec. Group 2 (VI) performed four sets of eight Maximal Voluntary Contractions, where each contraction was held for a duration of two seconds. Training took place on the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week for a four week duration. Group 3 (ES+VIj performed the training of Groups 1 and 2 for four weeks.
Subjects were tested for their Maximal Voluntary Contraction in both Position 1 and Position 2 (180 degrees with respect to the forearm). Endurance was calculated on the subjects fatigue curve. The time in seconds to 65% of their MVC (for each testing period) was used as a measure of their relative endurance. The testing of strength and endurance was done before any training took place, after two weeks of training, and at the duration of the four week period. Significant strength gains occurred in all three groups between the Pre test and Mid-Post in Position 1 and Position 2.
During the Mid-Post training period only the ES+VI group had significant strength gains in Position 1; whereas in Position 2 both the ES and ES+VI groups yielded significant strength gains.
It was illustrated that individual strength gains in the ES and VI groups were not additive in either position tested, and that one training method is not significantly better than another when observing mean strength gains over time. During the four week training period the endurance of the muscles did not alter significantly when locking at the mean of all three groups. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/21042
Date January 1978
CreatorsGoldsmid, Bruce C
Source SetsUniversity of British Columbia
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, Thesis/Dissertation
RightsFor non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

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