| Abstrakt: |
[Purpose] The object of this study was to investigate the effects of different methods of distal area stimulation on muscle fatigue experimentally induced in the forearm. Using changes in grip strength as an index, we investigated the effects on muscle fatigue of three stimuli (acupuncture, tapping with the needle tube, and superficial pain) delivered to sanyinjiao (SP6). [Subjects and Method] We randomly divided the subjects, 18 healthy subjects, into acupuncture, needle tube tapping, and superficial pain stimulation groups, and each group performed two trials, with and without stimulus. We performed measurements of handgrip strength after 10 min of rest, immediately after exercise with load, and 10 min after stimulation. To induce muscle fatigue, each subjects performed grip exercise until "all out" using a handgrip with a load of 50% of the maximum grip strength of the non-dominant hand. The area stimulated was SP6. [Results] Both with and without stimulus, each group showed a reduction in grip strength immediately after exercise, which subsequently recovered to the at rest level. In the needle tube tapping stimulus group, the recovery of grip strength immediately after the grip exercise was large compared to the no intervention condition. [Conclusion] The results of this study indicate the effectiveness of distal area micro-stimulation for muscle fatigue. Furthermore, they also indicate that acupuncture stimulus to the distal area of muscles suffering fatigue is probably ineffective at relieving fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
