A newly developed EMS unit: some preliminary results demonstrating its efficacy

Author

Duvoisin, M.R. ; Reed, H.E. ; Doerr, D.F. ; Dudley, G.A. ; Buchanan, P.

Author_Institution

NASA & Bionetics Corp., Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

fYear

1988

fDate

4-7 Nov. 1988

Firstpage

1677

Abstract

An electromyostimulation (EMS) unit that provides a range of stimulation variables was developed and used in a preliminary study of the current-torque relationship during percutaneous EMS. The knee extensors of one lower limb of ten subjects received stimulation on three different days, and the current-torque relationship was studied using an incremental protocol. A 2-s train of 500- mu s/sup 2/ monophasic pulses at 60 Hz was used to elicit one contraction every minute. Peak current and peak torque values among subjects ranged from 229 to 344 mA and from 61% to 106% of a given subject´s maximum voluntary isometric torque. The EMS unit consistently elicits torque during stimulated contractions, providing a basis for evaluating the efficacy of a wide range of stimulation protocols.<>

Keywords

aerospace biophysics; bioelectric phenomena; biomedical equipment; muscle; patient treatment; 229 to 344 mA; 60 Hz; astronaut muscular atrophy; current-torque relationship; electromyostimulation unit; knee extensors; lower limb; maximum voluntary isometric torque; monophasic pulses; peak current; peak torque; stimulation variables;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 1988. Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE

Conference_Location

New Orleans, LA, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-0785-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.1988.94900

Filename

94900