Effect of transcutaneous electromyostimulation on pressure pain threshold and tolerance in athletes under eccentric exercise

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia typically reported during and / or following exercise. In this study, we investigated the role of transcutaneous electromyostimulation (EMS) on pressure pain threshold and tolerance in athletes under eccentric exercise. Eleven male athletes aged 23,125 ± 0,99 years with 10,25 ± 2,66 years of athletic training were recruited for this study. Following baseline measurements of pressure pain threshold and tolerance from m. biceps brachii and m. triceps brachii muscle and myofascial regions of the dominant upper extremity by using a digital algometer, subjects were underwent an acute bout of eccentric exercise. Participants were completed 4 sets of eccentric exercise each comprising 20 repetitions of lifting 80% of their 1 RM by using a dumbbell. Pressure pain threshold and tolerance tests were repeated 10, 20 and 30 minutes, and 24 and 48 hours following exercise. One week after acute exercise protocol, EMS protocol was applied to the participants immediately following eccentric exercise, and all measurements were repeated at the same timeline as eccentric exercise. Standard EMS protocol at active recovery mode for 10 minutes was applied to the m. biceps brachii muscle by using surface electrodes. Results are presented as mean + standarts deviation. Data of the same timeline were analyzed by using repeated measures of ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. A level of p<0.05 was accepted statistical significant. Eccentric exercise resulted to increase the pain tolerence in athletes, and EMS was found to decrease the pain tolerence 10 and 20 minutes at the muscle region, and 10 and 30 minutes, and 24 hours at the myofascial region of m. biceps brachii, 10 min and 24 hr from muscle region, 10 and 30 min and 24 hr from myofascial region of M. triceps brachii following acute bout of eccentric exercise. We concluded that EMS at active recovery phase mitigates the the hypoalgesic response following single bout of eccentric exercise.