This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Buckley, D. C. Articles by Miller, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Buckley, D. C. Articles by Miller, C. A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Transcutaneous Muscle Stimulation Promotes Muscle Growth in Immobilized Patients

Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

Kenneth A. Kudsk, M.D.

Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

Barry Rose, M.D.

Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

Carol A. Koettyng, R.D.

Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

Marc Schlatter, M.D.

Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

Carole A. Miller, M.D.

Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

Muscular activity is a fundamental determinant of muscle mass. Transcutaneous muscle stimulation (TMS) may reverse muscle atrophy and lean mass loss in immobile patients by "artificial exercise." Four paraplegic patients with upper motor neuron lesions entered The Ohio State University Clinical Research Center for a 21-day metabolic balance study. After 6 days of baseline monitoring, each underwent isometric tetanic contractions (15 sec on; 45 sec off) of all major lower extremity muscle groups with TMS for 10 hr daily. Cross-sectional areas of muscle plus bone were calculated with CAT scan planimetry at 7 levels in both lower extremities before and after the TMS period. Three patients completed the metabolic balance study. TMS produced significant growth of innervated thigh and calf muscles in all paraplegic patients. Little growth occurred where bone and tendon predominate. No significant changes in nitrogen balance (urine and stool excretion), potassium balance (urine excretion only), or phosphate balance (urine excretion only) could be demonstrated. Two possible explanations are (1) that the patients may have been underfed and (2) that perhaps due to an increase in metabolic rate owing to the stimulation, lean tissue in other locations may have been mobilized to meet leg muscle demands. Future studies will incorporate metabolic monitoring of oxygen consumption and CO₂ production during the experiment. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 11:547-551, 1987)

Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, Vol. 11, No. 6, 547-551 (1987)
DOI: 10.1177/0148607187011006547


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G Bourjeily-Habr, C L Rochester, F Palermo, P Snyder, and V Mohsenin Randomised controlled trial of transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation of the lower extremities in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Thorax, December 1, 2002; 57(12): 1045 - 1049. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]