Functional electrical stimulation reverses muscle degeneration

[Guest guest]

Functional electrical stimulation reverses muscle degeneration

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=30756

17 Sep 2005

This study investigates muscle recovery induced by a new system of

life-long functional electrical stimulation training in permanent

denervated human muscle.

Needle biopsies of long-term denervated muscles showed severe

dystrophy beginning two years after spinal cord injury.

The excitability of denervated muscles was first improved by twitch-

contraction training.

Then, stimulation against a progressively increased load was

performed.

Muscle biopsies show that this progressive training almost reversed

long-term muscle atrophy/dystrophy.