Advanced Human Resource Development Project Group for Health Care in Aging Friendly Industry, Dongseo University, Busan 47011, Korea.
Department of Radiological Science at Health Sciences Division, DongSeo University, Busan 47011, Korea.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jul 7;17(13):4902. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134902.
This study is aimed at investigating the effects of synchronized neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and chewing exercises on bite force and the masseter muscle thickness in community-dwelling older adults. Forty older adults were enrolled in South Korea and randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. The experimental group performed chewing exercises using the No-Sick Exerciser equipment synchronized with NMES applied to the bilateral masseter muscles, while the control group performed only chewing exercises. Both groups received interventions for 20 min/day, 5 days/week, for 6 weeks. Bite force was measured using the OCCLUZER device, and masseter muscle thickness was measured using a portable ultrasound. Both groups showed a significant increase in bite force and masseter muscle thickness compared to baseline measurements ( < 0.05). The experimental group showed a significantly higher increase in bite force and masseter muscle thickness than the control group after combined intervention ( < 0.05). This study demonstrates that NMES synchronized with chewing exercises is more efficient in increasing bite force and masseter muscle thickness than chewing exercises alone in community-dwelling older adults.
本研究旨在探讨同步神经肌肉电刺激（NMES）和咀嚼运动对社区居住的老年人咬合力和咀嚼肌厚度的影响。在韩国，共招募了 40 名老年人，并将他们随机分配到实验组或对照组。实验组使用 No-Sick Exerciser 设备进行咀嚼运动，并同步进行双侧咀嚼肌的 NMES，而对照组仅进行咀嚼运动。两组均接受每天 20 分钟、每周 5 天、共 6 周的干预。使用 OCCLUZER 设备测量咬合力，使用便携式超声测量咀嚼肌厚度。与基线测量相比，两组的咬合力和咀嚼肌厚度均显著增加（<0.05）。与对照组相比，实验组在联合干预后，咬合力和咀嚼肌厚度的增加更为显著（<0.05）。本研究表明，与单独进行咀嚼运动相比，NMES 与咀嚼运动同步进行更能有效增加社区居住的老年人的咬合力和咀嚼肌厚度。
