Effects of submotor-threshold tibial nerve stimulation on plantarflexion torque in healthy adults and people with multiple sclerosis

Moškon, Sara (author), Šinkovec, Lara (author), Tomažin, Katja (author), Amon, Rok (author), Strojnik, Vojko (author), Spudić, Darjan (author)

Background: Submotor-threshold electrical stimulation (subES) can enhance motoneuron excitability, presenting a potential strategy for improving exercise efficiency in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of superimposed subES of the tibial nerve during voluntary isometric contraction on ankle plantarflexor torque production. Methods: A total of 48 participants, comprising both PwMS and healthy participants, performed plantarflexion at three voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) levels: 20, 60, and 100 %. During the plantarflexion, the tibial nerve was stimulated with one-second trains of subES at frequency of 80 Hz. Results: Plantarflexor torque decreased over one-second time intervals (from before to during and from during to after a train of subES) in both groups at 60 and 100 % MVIC (p < 0.01). While subES did not affect EMG signal amplitude (p > 0.05), it did lead to a statistically significant increase in median EMG frequency (p < 0.05). No differences in the effects of subES were observed between the two groups regarding torque, median EMG frequency, or EMG amplitude of the soleus muscle (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The findings indicate that the subES of the tibial nerve, as presented in this study, has limited potential for acutely enhancing ankle plantarflexor torque in PwMS.

• Language: English
• Keywords: sport, exercise, health, physical impairment, rehabilitation, excitability, quality of life, exercise for health
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FŠ - Faculty of Sport
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 7 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 97, art. 106381
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-167816
• UDC: 796.01:613
• ISSN on article: 2211-0356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2025.106381
• COBISS.SI-ID: 228615171
• Publication date in RUL: 13.03.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Multiple sclerosis and related disorders
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2211-0356
• COBISS.SI-ID: 72156419

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: šport, telesna dejavnost, zdravje, telesna okvara, rehabilitacija, razdražljivost, kakovost življenja