Effects of whole-body electromyostimulation on function, muscle mass, strength, social participation, and falls-efficacy in older people: A randomized trial protocol

• Published in: PloS one 2021-01, Vol.16 (1), p.e0245809-e0245809
• Main Authors: de Oliveira, Túlio Medina Dutra, Felício, Diogo Carvalho, Filho, José Elias, Durigan, João Luiz Quagliotti, Fonseca, Diogo Simões, José, Anderson, Oliveira, Cristino Carneiro, Malaguti, Carla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Biology and Life Sciences; Clinical trials; Computer and Information Sciences; Confidentiality; Demographic aspects; Electric stimulation; Engineering and Technology; Executive function (Psychology); Exercise; Falls; Informed consent; Intervention; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mortality; Muscle contraction; Muscle strength; Muscles; Older people; Participation; People and Places; Physiological aspects; Population; Protocol (computers); Registered Report Protocol; Research ethics; Sarcopenia; Strength training; Training
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245809

Resistance training has a positive impact on functional capacity and muscle mass in the elderly. However, due to physical limitations or a simple aversion against regular exercise, a majority of the elderly do not reach the recommended exercise doses. This led us to evaluate the effect of whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS), a novel, time-efficient, and smooth training technology on physical function, fat-free mass, strength, falls-efficacy, and social participation of the elderly. The present study is a randomized, parallel group clinical trial approved by the Ethics Committee of our Institution. Sixty-six volunteers (age ≥ 60 years) will be recruited from the geriatric outpatient department in a tertiary hospital and primary care units and randomized into two groups: WB-EMS group or active control group (aCG). The WB-EMS or aCG protocol will consist of 16 sessions for 8 consecutive weeks, twice per week. The primary outcomes will be maximal isometric knee extension (IKE), functional lower extremity strength, fat-free mass, gait speed, and risk of falls measured before and after intervention. The secondary outcomes will be social participation and falls-efficacy assessed before and after the intervention and at three and six months of follow-up. Participant's satisfaction with and awareness of electrical stimulation therapy will also be assessed immediately after the 8-week intervention. Patients receiving WB-EMS exercises are believed to have better outcomes than those receiving conventional, more time-consuming resistance exercises. Hence, innovative, time-efficient, joint-friendly, and highly individualized exercise technologies (such as WB-EMS) may be a good choice for the elderly with time constraints, physical limitations, or little enthusiasm, who are exercising less than the recommended amounts for impact on muscle mass, strength, and function.