Effects of Whole-body Electrical Muscle Stimulation Exercise on Spinal Motoneuronal Activation in Older Adults
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorUniversity of Missouri-Columbia
About this trial
During this pilot study, the investigators will examine the effects of whole-body electrical muscle stimulation exercise (WB-EMS Exercise) on motoneuronal activation in healthy adults, which typically decreases with age. The investigators will also test whether WB-EMS Exercise will improve measures of physical function. Participants will undergo clinical and electrophysiologic testing before and after the WB-EMS Exercise intervention. The WB-EMS Exercise intervention will be delivered two times per week for four weeks. The hypothesis is that whole-body electrical muscle stimulation combined with physical exercise (WB-EMS Exercise) could bypass the problem of insufficient motoneuronal activation to improve exercise effect in older adults.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Age (65 years or older) for healthy older adults and between 18-39 for healthy younger adults
Ambulatory without an assistive device
More than anti-gravity strength in major muscle groups as assessed by manual muscle testing
Medical clearance to participate in an exercise program
Disqualifiers
Regular use of an assistive device for mobility (i.e. cane, walker, wheelchair)
Presence of a pacemaker, metal implants, or other implanted medical devices that could impact participant safety during WB-EMS intervention
Known pregnancy at the time of screening
Presence of unstable acute or chronic disease (i.e. renal failure, rheumatologic disease cardia arrhythmia, neoplasm, uncontrolled hypertension)
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Exercise
Treatment groups
12 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupSponsors and collaborators
Source ClinicalTrials.gov