Trial reportPloS one2014
A promising approach to effectively reduce cramp susceptibility in human muscles: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.
Trial report in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Non-drug therapies for the secondary prevention of lower limb muscle cramps.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Reduces Leg Cramps in Patients With Lumbar Degenerative Disorders: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society · 2021Trial
- Effects of TRPV1 and TRPA1 activators on the cramp threshold frequency: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.European journal of applied physiology · 2017Trial
- Electrically induced muscle cramps induce hypertrophy of calf muscles in healthy adults.Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions · 2015Trial
- Muscle cramp susceptibility is associated with muscle-specific modulation of human motoneuron discharge patterns.Experimental physiology · 2026Article
- Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Cramp Threshold Frequency and Pain in Adults with Nocturnal Leg Cramps: An EMG-Based Assessment: Randomized Controlled Trial.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- H-reflex and M-wave responses after voluntary and electrically evoked muscle cramping.European journal of applied physiology · 2021Article
- Are Electrically Induced Muscle Cramps Able to Increase the Cramp Threshold Frequency, When Induced Once a Week?Orthopedic reviews · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTo investigate if the cramp threshold frequency (CTF) can be altered by electrical muscle stimulation in a shortened position.
methodsA total of 15 healthy male sport students were randomly allocated to an intervention (IG, n = 10) and a non-treatment control group (CG, n = 5). Calf muscles of both legs in the IG were stimulated equally twice a week over 6 weeks. The protocol was 3×5 s on, 10 s off, 150 µs impulse width, 30 Hz above the individual CTF, and was at 85% of the maximal tolerated stimulation energy. One leg was stimulated in a shortened position, inducing muscle cramps (CT), while the opposite leg was fixated in a neutral position at the ankle, hindering muscle cramps (nCT). CTF tests were performed prior to the first and 96 h after the 6(th) (3 w) and 12(th) (6 w) training session.
resultsAfter 3 w, the CTF had significantly (p<0.001) increased in CT calves from 23.3±5.7 Hz to 33.3±6.9 Hz, while it remained unchanged in nCT (pre: 23.6±5.7 Hz, mid: 22.3±3.5 Hz) and in both legs of the CG (pre: 21.8±3.2 Hz, mid: 22.0±2.7 Hz). Only CT saw further insignificant increases in the CTF. The applied stimulation energy (mA² • µs) positively correlated with the effect on the CTF (r = 0.92; p<0.001).
conclusionsThe present study may be useful for developing new non-pharmacological strategies to reduce cramp susceptibility. TRIAL REGISTRY: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00005312.
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Registered trials
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