Chronic effects of low-frequency low-intensity electrical stimulation of stretched human muscle

Effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation, which is currently considered to be a possible countermeasure for long-duration spaceflights, with and without stretch were evaluated. Twelve young male volunteers were randomly distributed into two groups. In one group anterior thigh muscles—knee extensors of both legs were stimulated with frequency of 15 Hz for 4.5 wks, six times a week; each session was 6-h long. In the other group, electrical stimulation with the same parameters was applied to stretched knee extensors. Following stimulation the subjects exhibited an increase in fatigue resistance, and in the succinate dehydrogenase activity and a 10% gain in the percentage of muscle fibers with slow myosin heavy chain isoforms. In a stimulated group the peak voluntary strength went down significantly, the CSA of fast muscle fibers in m. quadriceps femoris became slightly less in size (10%). Electrical stimulation of the stretched muscles induced an insignificant decline in their strength and an increase of cross-sectional area of muscle fibers of both types. Thus chronic low-frequency electrical stimulation may be proposed as a candidate countermeasure against muscle strength and mass loss if it is combined with stretch.