Ergogenic Effect of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation during Rest and Submaximal Exercise
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Abstract
Purpose: To determine the ergogenic effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) amongst an apparently healthy population during submaximal exercise. Methods: In Session 1, twenty apparently healthy males (Age = 35.0 ± 15.0 yrs; Height = 179.9 ± 8.5 cm; Body Mass = 85.4 ± 12.0 kg) were familiarized with all equipment. Sessions 2-4 included the following 5-min trials: a) Rest and Rest+NMES, b) Rest, Arms-Only, Arms+NMES, and c) Rest, Arms+Legs, Arms+Legs+NMES. Physiological variables collected during rest and submaximal exercise were volume of oxygen (VO2), heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and rate pressure product (RPP). Paired sample t-test was used to determine significant mean differences between the NMES and non-NMES trials. Bonferroni post-hoc analysis established alpha level at 0.008. Results: From the 18 paired t-tests, the only observed significant mean difference [t(19)=-6.4, p<0.001] was RER values between the Arms-Only trial compared to the Arms+NMES trial (0.94 and 1.00, respectively). Conclusions: While RER displayed a significant difference, from a practical perspective, however, these differences were deemed non-physiologically significant. Viewed in concert, findings from this study suggests that NMES utilization does not evoke an acute ergogenic effect amongst an apparently healthy male population.
