Effects of PEMFs (Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields) stimulation on acupoint in quadriceps fatigue recovery

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the muscle fatigue recovery using Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs) at an acupoint after strenuous knee exercise. We designed the PEMFs stimulator and electrode as small as possible to stimulate a local point. The magnetic flux was the 30.92mT at the 2Hz. Twenty males participated and were assigned into two groups. We chose the rectus femoris for measuring the EMG and selected LR9 as a stimulation area. Twenty participants performed identical isokinetic exercise for inducing muscle fatigue by using Biodex System 3. All participants spent the recovery period of 20 min. Ten participants were received with PEMFs during recovery period. Each MF was recovered to a normal state during the recovery period in all groups. As a result of the contrast test on the MF, each MF and F.I at post 6 minutes was significantly recovered to each MF and F.I at pre-exercise (P = 0.127, P = 0.138) in the nonstimulation group and PEMFs group was recovered to the MF and F.I rapidly after 4 minutes, with P = 0.166, P = 0.181. The significant treatment effect was not found in peak torque recovery of all groups. We concluded that PEMFs had the therapeutic effect on recovering fatigue.