Effect of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation During Walking on Pain Sensitivity in Women With Obesity With Knee Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether a hybrid training system (HTS) providing antagonist muscle electrical stimulation was more effective than sensory TENS in altering pain sensitivity in women with obesity and frequent knee symptoms during walking exercise.
Results Summary
The HTS group showed statistically significant improvement in local pain sensitivity at the knee compared to the control group, but no significant difference was found for remote pain sensitivity at the wrist. The HTS group also demonstrated a trend toward reduced knee pain, though this did not reach statistical significance.
Population
Women aged 40-70 with obesity and daily knee symptoms (N=28).
Effective Dosage
Biweekly 30-minute walking sessions with HTS or sensory TENS.
Duration
12 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 weeks of biweekly 30-minute walking exercise with hybrid training system (HTS) | increase | Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) at the more symptomatic knee (local PPT) | Twenty-eight women (N=28) with obesity, aged 40-70 years, with daily knee symptoms | - | statistically significant improvement | #1 |
12 weeks of biweekly 30-minute walking exercise with hybrid training system (HTS) | increase | PPT at the ipsilateral pain-free wrist (remote PPT) | Twenty-eight women (N=28) with obesity, aged 40-70 years, with daily knee symptoms | - | tended to demonstrate increased | #2 |
12 weeks of biweekly 30-minute walking exercise with hybrid training system (HTS) | decrease | knee pain | Twenty-eight women (N=28) with obesity, aged 40-70 years, with daily knee symptoms | - | tended to demonstrate decreased | #3 |
Augmentation of walking exercise with HTS | increase | local pain sensitivity at the knee | women with obesity with frequent knee symptoms | - | was more effective than application of sensory TENS in improving | #4 |
Augmentation of walking exercise with HTS | no change | local pain sensitivity at the wrist | women with obesity with frequent knee symptoms | - | was not more effective than application of sensory TENS in improving | #5 |
OBJECTIVE: To assess the extent to which pain sensitivity is altered in women with obesity with frequent knee symptoms who walk with either a hybrid training system (HTS) that provides antagonist muscle electrical stimulation vs sensory transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). DESIGN: Randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial. SETTING: University-based fitness center. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-eight women (N=28) with obesity, aged 40-70 years, with daily knee symptoms. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to 12 weeks of biweekly 30-minute walking exercise with either HTS (HTSW group) or sensory TENS (control group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) at the more symptomatic knee (local PPT) and PPT at the ipsilateral pain-free wrist (remote PPT). RESULTS: After adjustment for preintervention values and body mass index (BMI), there was a statistically significant improvement in local PPT in the HTSW group compared with the control group (P=.039). After adjustment for pretraining value, age, and BMI, changes in remote PPT when comparing groups did not reach statistical significance, although the HTS group tended to demonstrate increased remote PPT (P=.052) compared with the control group. Moreover, after adjustment for pretraining value, knee pain, and quality of life, comparing groups did not reach statistical significance, although the HTS group tended to demonstrate decreased knee pain (P=.069) compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Augmentation of walking exercise with HTS was more effective than application of sensory TENS in improving local pain sensitivity at the knee but not at the wrist in women with obesity with frequent knee symptoms.