Kurobe M, Suzuki T. Pain reduction method in recording F-waves from the vastus lateralis muscle.
Muscle Nerve 2023;
67:236-238. [PMID:
36576113 DOI:
10.1002/mus.27780]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS
Conventional recording of F-waves from the vastus lateralis muscle causes severe pain in some subjects. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of the stimulation frequency on pain and F-wave parameters when recording F-waves from this muscle and to develop a method for recording F-waves from the vastus lateralis muscle that causes minimal pain.
METHODS
The subject's femoral nerve was electrically stimulated at 0.5 or 0.2 Hz 30 times, while F-waves were recorded from the vastus lateralis muscle. Pain intensity was measured immediately using a visual analog scale. In addition, the visual analog scale, F-wave persistence, F-wave latency, and F/M amplitude ratio were compared between F-wave recordings with 0.5-Hz electrical stimulation and those with 0.2-Hz electrical stimulation.
RESULTS
Eleven healthy men participated in this study. The visual analog scale and F-wave persistence decreased when electrical stimulation at 0.2 Hz was applied compared with electrical stimulation at 0.5 Hz.
DISCUSSION
Electrical stimulation at 0.5 Hz increased pain due to temporal summation. However, electrical stimulation at 0.2 Hz did not cause temporal summation, suggesting reduced pain and excitability of the alpha motor neuron pool.
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