A controlled study on the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and interferential therapy upon the RIII nociceptive and H-reflexes in humans
Fl. Cramp et al., A controlled study on the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and interferential therapy upon the RIII nociceptive and H-reflexes in humans, ARCH PHYS M, 81(3), 2000, pp. 324-333
Objective: To study the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulati
on (TENS) and interferential therapy (IFT) upon the RIII. nociceptive refle
x and II-reflex.
Design: Double-blind conditions.
Participants: Seventy healthy subjects were randomly allocated to one of se
ven groups (n = 10 per group): Control, TENS 1 (5Hz), TENS 2 (100Hz), TENS
3 (200Hz), IFT 1 (5Hz), LFT 2 (100Hz), IFT 3 (200Hz).
Intervention: In the treatment groups, stimulation was applied over the rig
ht sural nerve for 15 minutes.
Main Outcome Measures: Ipsilateral RIII acid H-reflexes were recorded befor
e treatment, immediately after treatment, and subsequently at 25, 35, and 4
5 minutes. Subjects rated the pain associated with the RIII reflex using a
computerized visual analogue scale (VAS).
Results: Statistical analysis using ANOVA showed no significant differences
between baseline and posttreatment measurement for Rm reflex, II-reflex, o
r VAS data.
Conclusion: These results suggest that neither type of electrical stimulati
on (TENS or IFT) affects the Rm or H-reflexes, at least using the parameter
s and application time in this study.