Muscle Rehabilitation – Enhanced Muscular Performance

Electromagn Biol Med.  2012 Jul 19. [Epub ahead of print]

Evaluation of inflammatory biomarkers associated with oxidative stress and histological assessment of magnetic therapy on experimental myopathy in rats.

Vignola MB, Dávila S, Cremonezzi D, Simes JC, Palma JA, Campana VR.

Source

Cátedra de Física Biomédica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Argentina.

Abstract

The effect of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, also called magnetic therapy, upon inflammatory biomarkers associated with oxidative stress plasma fibrinogen, nitric oxide (NO), L-citrulline, carbonyl groups, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was evaluated through histological assessment, in rats with experimental myopathy. The groups studied were: (A) control (intact rats that received PEMF sham exposures); (B) rats with myopathy and sacrificed 24 h later; (C) rats with myopathy; (D) rats with myopathy and treated with PEMF; and (E) intact rats treated with PEMF. Groups A, C, D, and E were sacrificed 8 days later. Myopathy was induced by injecting 50 ?l of 1% carrageenan ? (type IV) once sub-plantar. Treatment was carried out with PEMF emitting equipment with two flat solenoid disks for 8 consecutive days in groups D and E, at 20 mT and 50 Hz for 30 min/day/rat. The biomarkers were determined by spectrophotometry. The muscles (5/8) were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and examined by optic microscopy. Quantitative variables were statistically analyzed by the Fisher test, and categorical applying Pearson’s Chi Squared test at p < 0.05 for all cases. In Groups B and C, the biomarkers were significantly increased compared to A, D, and E groups: fibrinogen (p < 0.001); NO, L-citrulline and carbonyl groups (p < 0.05); SOD (p < 0.01) as well as the percentage of area with inflammatory infiltration (p < 0.001). PEMF caused decreased levels of fibrinogen, L-citrulline, NO, SOD, and carbonyl groups and significant muscle recovery in rats with experimental myopathies.

Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1995 Sep-Oct;(5):25-30.

The use of apparatus-supported physiotherapy for the accelerated recovery and enhancement of sports performance.

[Article in Russian]

Gigine?shvili GR, Dombrovskaia II, Belousov AIu, Kirova EI, Orekhova EM, Radzievski? SA, Liubimskaia LI.

Abstract

The effects of physiotherapeutic factors such as electric sleep, sinusoidal modulated currents. UV radiation, interference currents, decimeter waves, laser radiation were studied in 600 sportsmen active in cyclic and acyclic sports. Recommended are both single and course procedures because the above factors are found to diminish immunodeficiency and to increase muscular performance in sportsmen.

Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1994 Jul-Aug;73(4):275-9.

Tardy effect of neurogenic muscular atrophy by magnetic stimulation.

Chang CW, Lien IN.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University School of Medicine, Taipei, Republic of China.

The influence of pulsed magnetic stimulation on denervated muscles was investigated in this study. Of 24 rats divided into three groups for experiment, 8 rats served as control; 16 rats with bilaterally severed sciatic nerves were divided into two groups for different modes of stimulation. Magnetic stimulation with a high power output that induced an intensive contraction of muscle was applied at one side-denervated gastrocnemius muscle for 1 mo in a group of rats; electric stimulation with high intensity at 6 Hz frequency and 1-ms pulse duration served as a contrast in the other group. Muscular weight, volume, fiber diameter and percentage of fiber types were measured after the experiment. A significant retardation of weight loss in denervated muscles via magnetic stimulation (P < 0.05) was confirmed by observed results. Type II fiber atrophy was retarded in denervated muscles by magnetic stimulation as well as in denervated muscles via electric stimulation. Magnetic stimulation, used as a method that induces muscular activity, was verified in this study as being capable of retarding denervated muscular atrophy. Its benefits of painless stimulation as well as deeply activated muscular contraction could be expected to function as a new model for rehabilitation of paralyzed muscles.