Affiliations: [a] Institute of Exercise Biology and Physiotherapy,
University of Tartu, Estonia | [b] Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences,
University of Tartu, Estonia | [c] Faculty of Sport, Pablo de Olavide University,
Sevilla, Spain
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Mati Pääsuke, Institute of
Exercise Biology and Physiotherapy, University of Tartu, Jakobi 5, Tartu 51014
Estonia. Tel./Fax: +37 27 376 286; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine the acute effect of a
brief submaximal percutaneous electrical stimulation (PES) of the knee extensor
(KE) muscles as a conditioning activity on the isokinetic peak torque (PT) and
average power (AP). Eighteen male students aged 20–25 years performed maximal
voluntary concentric isokinetic knee extensions at angular velocities of 60 and
180°/s in control (CON) trial (without prior PES application),
followed by a PES trial after 30 min rest period. In PES trial, a conditioning
submaximal (25% of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction force)
isometric tetanic contraction of the KE muscles was induced by a 7 s direct PES
at 100 Hz, interspersed after 3 min with testing of voluntary isokinetic
performance. No significant differences in isokinetic knee extension PT and AP
were observed between PES and CON trial at 60°/s. However, a
significantly greater (p < 0.05) isokinetic PT (8.9%) and AP (8.2%)
were observed in PES trial compared to CON trial at 180°/s. In
conclusion, application of a brief high-frequency submaximal PES may enhance
isokinetic strength and power of the KE at a moderate but not at a low angular
velocity.
