Effect of Capacitive and Resistive electric transfer on changes in muscle flexibility and lumbopelvic alignment after fatiguing exercise.
Yuki Yokota, Takuya Sonoda, Yuto Tashiro and 12 others
PMID 29765189WHAT IT FOUND
In 22 healthy men after fatiguing exercise, CRet did not significantly change quadriceps flexibility, pelvic tilt, or lumbar lordosis versus rest; it raised skin temperature.
Key findings
01The CRet group had significant increases in superficial temperature immediately, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes after intervention, and these temperature changes differed significantly from the control group.
02There was no significant difference between the CRet and control groups in Ely test angle, pelvic tilt, or lumbar lordosis.
03Fatiguing exercise significantly decreased Ely test angle and increased anterior pelvic tilt in both groups immediately after exercise.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 22 young healthy men from the same university were studied, and they were not active in sports, so results may not apply to women, older adults, athletes, or people with low back or leg conditions. The groups had only 11 participants each, and the paper does not report randomisation concealment, blinding, or dropouts. Quadriceps flexibility was measured only with the Ely test, so the detailed tissue changes caused by exercise and CRet remain unclear. Follow-up stopped at 30 minutes after intervention, so lasting effects are unknown. The CRet treatment combined capacitive and resistive modes, so the paper cannot separate the contribution of either mode.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The paper does not state a funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that CRet recovers muscle flexibility or lumbopelvic alignment better than rest. The paper found no significant between-group differences in Ely test angle, pelvic tilt, or lumbar lordosis, although superficial temperature differed significantly between groups.