RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effects of electrical stimulation on V<span class="sc">o</span><sub>2</sub> kinetics and delta efficiency in healthy young men
JF British Journal of Sports Medicine
JO Br J Sports Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
SP 140
OP 143
DO 10.1136/bjsm.37.2.140
VO 37
IS 2
A1 Pérez, M
A1 Lucia, A
A1 Santalla, A
A1 Chicharro, J L
YR 2003
UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/37/2/140.abstract
AB Objective: To determine the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) on oxygen uptake (Vo2) kinetics and delta efficiency (DE) during gradual exercise. The hypothesis was that ES would attenuate the Vo2-workload relation and improve DE. Methods: Fifteen healthy, untrained men (mean (SD) age 22 (5) years) were selected. Ten were electrostimulated on both quadriceps muscles with a frequency of 45–60 Hz, with 12 seconds of stimulation followed by eight seconds recovery for a total of 30 minutes a day, three days a week for six weeks. The remaining five subjects were assigned to a control group. A standardised exercise test on a cycle ergometer (ramp protocol, workload increases of 20 W/min) was performed by each subject before and after the experimental period. The slope of the Vo2-power output (W) relation (ΔVo2/ΔW) and DE were calculated in each subject at moderate to high intensities (above the ventilatory threshold—that is, from 50–60% to 100% Vo2max). Results: The mean (SEM) values for ΔVo2/ΔW and DE had significantly decreased and increased respectively after the six week ES programme (p&lt;0.05; 9.8 (0.2) v 8.6 (0.5) ml O2/W/min respectively and 27.7 (0.9) v 31.5 (1.4)% respectively). Conclusions: ES could be used as a supplementary tool to improve two of the main determinants of endurance capacity, namely Vo2 kinetics and work efficiency.