The Basas Spanish Squat: Superimposition of Electrical Stimulation to Optimize Patellar Tendon Strain: A Case Series.
Carlos Basas, Naoaki Ito, Karin Grävare Silbernagel and 2 others
PMID 38050553WHAT IT FOUND
Adding electrical stimulation to the Basas Spanish Squat roughly doubled patellar tendon strain in three of four healthy participants compared to the squat alone.
This mechanical change was measured in healthy legs, so it does not prove the method relieves pain or heals tendons in patients.
Key findings
01Superimposed electrical stimulation increased patellar tendon strain during the Basas Spanish Squat compared to the exercise without stimulation in all four participants.
02Open kinetic chain knee extensions at 60% of maximum voluntary contraction produced higher tendon strain than the Basas Spanish Squat without electrical stimulation.
03The study measured mechanical strain in healthy participants, not clinical outcomes or pain relief in patients with tendinopathy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only four healthy participants, so the results cannot be generalized to patients with patellar tendinopathy. The primary outcome was mechanical strain, a surrogate measure, not clinical improvement, pain, or function. One participant's extreme percentage increase in strain was likely exaggerated by a very low baseline value in the unstimulated condition. The study did not determine optimal electrical stimulation parameters or dosing for clinical practice.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that increased tendon strain in healthy participants translates to better recovery or pain relief in patients with patellar tendinopathy. The study measured a mechanical change, not a clinical outcome, and the sample was too small to establish any therapeutic effect.