Sweep Frequency of Interferential Currents Therapy Attenuate Fatigue of Biceps Brachia Muscle in Normal Male Subjects: A Randomized Placebo Control Trial (original) (raw)

Background: Skeletal muscle fatigue is one of the most common problems encountered in general practice clinic population and sport activities. Interferential currents therapy is widely used by physiotherapists throughout the world to manage a range of musculoskeletal condition. Objective: To find out the effect of pre-exercise sweep frequency interferential currents therapy on the induced fatigue of biceps brachia muscle in normal healthy untrained male subjects. Material and Methods: Twenty healthy male subjects were participated and randomly allocated to receive two treatment sessions of interferential currents therapy before inducing biceps brachia muscle fatigue with 7 days apart. Active interferential currents session with trapezoid sweep frequency that set between a low beat frequency of 5 Hz & a high beat frequency of 110 Hz for thirty minutes & Placebo interferential currents session. After the treatment session each subject was asked to perform voluntary elbow flexion repetitions with 30% of their one repetition maximum using dumbbells until they reached fatigue determined by inability to reach 90 degrees of elbow flexion. Pain intensity level before and after reaching fatigue was measured by visual analogue scale, number of concentric contraction before fatigue and time elapsed to reaching fatigue point were measures for all subjects in the two sessions. Results: A significant difference (pd"0.05) was found between Active and Placebo interferential currents sessions, when the means ± SD of the two sessions were compared in a terms of pain intensity level , number of submaximal repetitions & time elapsed to reach biceps brachia muscle fatigue in favour of active interferential currents therapy. The application of sweep frequency interferential current with the used parameter could be effective in delaying the development of skeletal muscle fatigue and enhancing skeletal muscle performance.