Efficacy of Microcurrent Therapy After Eccentric Exercise
Condition: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
MeSH terms: Myalgia
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      15 participants will be included in the present study. They will attend two groups of three
      sessions (i.e. sessions 1-2-3 and sessions 4-5-6) spaced by 3 months:

        -  session 1 and 4 (performed a few days before the experimental session): session for
           participants to get familiarized with the test battery.

        -  session 2 and 5: experimental session (the test battery followed by the provocative
           task, the test battery, the one-hour "treatment" and the test battery again).

        -  session 3 and 6 (performed 2 days later): the test battery.

      The test battery included flexibility, functional, pressure pain threshold tests.

      The provocative task was an isokinetic eccentric task for knee flexors and extensors.

      The treatment was either a microcurrent therapy or a placebo microcurrent therapy.
    

Detailed description: 
      Objective:

      To study the efficacy of microcurrent to reduce DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) occuring
      after an eccentric exercise

      Methods:

      Experimental protocol

      Participants will attend two groups of three sessions (i.e. sessions 1-2-3 and sessions
      4-5-6) spaced by 3 months:

        -  session 1 and 4 (performed a few days before the experimental session): session for
           participants to get familiarized with the test battery.

        -  session 2 and 5: experimental session: the test battery followed by the provocative
           task, the test battery, the one-hour "treatment" (real microcurrents at one of the
           session and placebo microcurrents at the other one) and the test battery again.

        -  session 3 and 6 (performed 2 days later): the test battery.

      Before starting session 2, patients will be randomized into the microcurrent group or the
      placebo microcurrent group. Three months later, participants will change of group.

      The Test Battery: it will be conducted by a blind (to the treatment) investigator. It will
      include knee flexor and extensor flexibility tests, a functional test (unilateral "
      counter-movement jump "), a pain to measure pain threshold of thigh muscles and an isometric
      maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) test of knee flexors and extensors.

      The Provocative task: 40 isokinetic eccentric contractions of knee flexors and extensors.

      The one-hour Treatment: with the participant lying on an examination table, several
      electrodes were located over the muscles involved in the provocative task. The microcurrent
      therapy was then started. It was stopped after 5 seconds in the "Placebo group" and after one
      hour in the real "Microcurrent group". The microcurrents were delivered by the machine
      B-E-St®.

      Follow-up: in addition to the 48hours follow-up (session 3/6), participants will fill in a
      pain visual analogue scale each day after the session 2/5.
    

Intervention name(s): Microcurrent Therapy; Sham microcurrent therapy
Intervention type(s): Device; Device
Intervention description(s): Several electrodes are placed over the muscles involved in the provocative task. The microcurrent therapy is then started and lasts for one hour.; Several electrodes are placed over the muscles involved in the provocative task. The microcurrent therapy is then started but lasts only for five seconds.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: microcurent; pain; flexibility