EFFECTS OF HIGH-FREQUENCY TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE-STIMULATIONON LIMB BLOOD-FLOW IN HEALTHY HUMANS

Background and Purpose. Although transcutaneous electrical nerve stimu lation (TENS) has been used clinically for more than 20 years, the hem odynamic effects of this intervention remain controversial. Our goal w as to determine the effects of high-frequency TENS on calf blood flow in healthy subjects. Subjects. Four men and seven women ranging in age from 20 to 44 years (XBAR=30, SD=9) served as subjects. Methods. We m easured calf blood flow during 20-minute TENS applications over the co mmon peroneal and tibial nerves at intensities above and below the mot or threshold. Results. Calf blood flow was not changed by sensory-leve l TENS (3.2+/-1.0 versus 2.9+/-1.0 mL/100 mL/min) or by motor-level TE NS (3.1+/-1.2 versus 2.8+/-1.0 mL/100 mL/min). Conclusion and Discussi on. Neither sensory-level nor low-intensity motor-level TENS applied o ver peripheral nerves at clinically relevant pulse durations and frequ encies altered limb blood flow in asymptomatic individuals. The applic ability of these findings in conditions of abnormally elevated or dimi nished vascular resistance has not been determined.