Tamiya Hajime, Kawashiri Hina, Miyamoto Toshiaki, Kurosawa Yuko, Hamaoka Takafumi, Tsubaki Atsuhiro
Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan; Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan.
Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan.
Microvasc Res. 2025 Sep;161:104840. doi: 10.1016/j.mvr.2025.104840. Epub 2025 Jul 8.
Belt electrode-skeletal muscle electrical stimulation (B-SES) improves muscle strength, mass, and exercise tolerance. However, its effects on skeletal muscle microvascular responsiveness remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the acute effects of a single B-SES session on gastrocnemius microvascular responsiveness in healthy young men.
In this randomized crossover study, 12 healthy young men (mean age: 20.8 ± 1.0 years) underwent two 20-min conditions: electrical stimulation at the sensory threshold (Sham, n = 12) and at the maximum intensity not causing discomfort (B-SES, n = 12). Gastrocnemius metabolic rate (tissue oxygen saturation [StO] downslope) and microvascular reperfusion rate (StO upslope) were assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy and a vascular occlusion test.
In the B-SES condition, the StO downslope significantly steepened (Pre: -0.15 ± 0.03 %·s, Post: -0.20 ± 0.03 %·s, p = 0.002). The StO upslope also significantly steepened (Pre: 1.58 ± 0.52 %·s, Post: 2.56 ± 0.71 %·s, p < 0.001). A significant negative correlation was observed between the StO downslope and StO upslope (r = -0.581, p = 0.047). No significant changes were observed in the Sham condition.
A single B-SES session applied to the lower extremity significantly increased gastrocnemius metabolic rate and was associated with enhanced microvascular reperfusion. These findings suggest B-SES may be a useful therapeutic approach to improving microvascular responsiveness, particularly in individuals with limited exercise capacity.
