Çalι A, Özden AV, Ceylan İ. Effects of a single session of noninvasive auricular vagus nerve stimulation on sports performance in elite athletes: an open-label randomized controlled trial.
Expert Rev Med Devices 2024;
21:231-237. [PMID:
38146234 DOI:
10.1080/17434440.2023.2299300]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of noninvasive auricular vagus nerve stimulation (AVNS) on sports performance.
METHODS
The intervention group (n = 30) received a single session of AVNS, while the control group (n = 30) received a single session of sham AVNS. Pre- and post-treatment isometric quadriceps muscle strength, heart rate, lower extremity balance, and grip strength were measured.
RESULTS
It was ascertained that the differences in heart rate (-0.73 pulse/min, p = 0.032) and modified Star Balance Test scores (anterior 2.72 cm, p = 0.000, posterolateral 3.65 cm, p = 0.000 and posteromedial 2.43 cm, p = 0.000) before and after AVNS were significant in subjects in the experimental group. The results of the one-way ANOVA analysis show that the differences obtained in all measurement parameters are not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Considering the partial eta squared (η2) obtained from the measurements, a small descriptive effect in favor of experimental group was obtained for the quadriceps strength (0.016) and anterior balance (0.054) measurements.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that a single AVNS session compared to sham AVNS shows a modest benefit though not statistically significant improvement in athletic performance. Single-use of AVNS seems not effective in improving athletic performance.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT05436821.
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