Effect of electromyostimulation on pressure pain threshold and tolerance in athletes

1st International Sport Science Tourism and Recreation-Student Congress, Antalya, Türkiye, 21 - 23 Mayıs 2014, ss.170

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia typically reported during

and / or following exercise. In this study, we investigated

the role of electromyostimulation (EMS) on pressure

pain threshold and tolerance in athletes under eccentric

exercise. Eleven male athletes aged 23 ± 1 years with

9.67 ± 3.04 years of athletic training were recruited for

this study. Following baseline measurements of pressure

pain threshold and tolerance from m. biceps brachii and

m. triceps brachii muscle and myofascial regions of the

dominant upper extremity by using a digital algometer,

subjects were underwent an acute bout of eccentric

exercise. Participants were completed 4 sets of eccentric

exercise each comprising 20 repetitions of lifting 80% of

their 1 RM by using a dumbbell. Pressure pain threshold

and tolerance tests were repeated 10, 20 and 30

minutes, and 24 and 48 hours following exercise. One

week after acute exercise protocol, EMS protocol was

applied to the participants, and all measurements were

repeated at the same timeline as eccentric exercise.

Standard EMS protocol at active recovery mode for 10

minutes was applied to the m. biceps brachii muscle by

using surface electrodes. Results are presented as mean

+ standarts deviation. Data of the same timeline were

analyzed by using t test. A level of p<0.05 was accepted

statistical significant. Eccentric exercise resulted to

increase the pain tolerence in athletes, and EMS was

found to decrease the pain tolerence at 10 and 20

minutes from m. biceps brachii muscle region, and 10,

20 and 30 minutes, and 24 hours from myofascial region

following acute bout of eccentric exercise. We concluded

that EMS at active recovery phase mitigates the the

hypoalgesic response following single bout of eccentric

exercise.

Keywords: eccentric exercise, exercise-induced

hypoalgesia, electromyostimulation, pain tolerance