Technical development of transcutaneous electrical nerve inhibition using medium-frequency alternating current.
Yushin Kim, Hang-Jun Cho, Hyung-Soon Park
PMID 30126438WHAT IT FOUND
In eight healthy adults, medium-frequency current applied through the skin over the median nerve briefly reduced touch sensitivity, pain sensitivity, and finger force; stronger at higher intensity.
It showed immediate nerve inhibition, not treatment benefit for spasticity or pain.
Key findings
01Stimulation over the median nerve increased tactile thresholds in the index and middle fingers; 100% intensity raised the threshold to about twice baseline, and 50% intensity raised it to about 1.5 times baseline.
02Pressure pain thresholds increased by 43% at 100% intensity and by 17% at 50% intensity.
03At maximum intensity, minimum virtual finger force fell by 40% when the target was 90% MVC and by 14% when the target was 50% MVC; at 50% intensity, it fell by 25% and 4%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Eight healthy young adults were tested, not patients with neurologic disorders. There was no control group, so changes cannot be separated from rest, learning, or expectation. Stimulation was applied for only 5 seconds, so the study does not show what would happen during a longer clinical session. Current intensity was limited by pain threshold, with mean pain threshold 31.4 mA, and the authors say higher intensity may be needed for stronger inhibition. The authors state that the effect on spasticity or pain remains unknown. The technique was tested only at the median nerve near the wrist, so it may not work the same way for other nerves or muscles.
Declared interests
Funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea. The supplied text does not report author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the reduced finger force and pain thresholds as evidence that this treatment helps patients with spasticity or pain. It was tested only in eight healthy adults for 5 seconds, had no control group, and the authors say the effect on spasticity or pain remains unknown.