A Study to Compare effect of Voluntary Exercise Versus Electrical Stimulation on Biceps Muscle Strength in Healthy Individuals

Background and Purpose of The Study: A muscle contraction when not under volition can be made to contract very near to volitional contraction by using electrical stimulation. In fact electrical stimulation is the treatment of choice in case of muscle malfunction. There are number of article who state that the same conditioning effect as of voluntary contraction can be brought by stimulating a muscle electrically. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of both Electrical Stimulation and voluntary exercise to strengthen the biceps muscles in healthy subjects.

Method: 30 healthy male subjects were divided into two groups. The Voluntary Exercise Group (n = 15) performed 15 sessions of voluntary contractions, and the Electrical Stimulation (SF) Group (n = 15) engaged in 15 sessions of electrically stimulated contractions.

Results: The voluntary Exercise Group was found to have an increase in strength significantly greater than Electrical Stimulation Group. No increase in strength was observed in Electrical Stimulation Group.

Conclusion: This study indicates that electrical stimulation is not as effective as voluntary exercise in increasing strength in muscle.