ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2023
Pain inhibition-the unintended benefit of electrically elicited muscle strengthening contractions.
Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of electrical stimulation on lower limb function after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Pooled it
- The effects of combining electrical stimulation of the calf and thigh muscles on WOMAC pain in knee osteoarthritis: A double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled trial.Osteoarthritis and cartilage open · 2025Trial
- The effectiveness of NMES-integrated therapy in scapholunate ligament injuries - a randomized controlled trial.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2025Article
- The impact of various post-exercise interventions on the relief of delayed-onset muscle soreness: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundNeuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is effective in muscle strengthening after orthopedic injury particularly when muscle activation failure is present, but the associated pain can be a barrier. Pain itself can produce a pain inhibitory response called Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM). CPM is often used in research studies to assess the state of the pain processing system. However, the inhibitory response of CPM could make NMES more tolerable to patients and could improve functional outcomes in people with pain. This study compares the pain-inhibitory effect of NMES compared to volitional contractions and noxious electrical stimulation (NxES).
methodsHealthy participants, 18-30 years of age experienced 3 conditions: 10 NMES contractions, 10 bursts of NxES on the patella, and 10 volitional contractions on the right knee. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were measured before and after each condition in both knees and the middle finger. Pain was reported on an 11-point VAS. Repeated measures ANOVAs with 2 factors: site and time were performed for each condition followed by post-hoc paired t-tests, with Bonferroni correction.
resultsPain ratings were higher in the NxES condition compared to NMES (p = .000). No differences in PPTs prior to each condition were observed but PPTs were significantly higher in the right and left knees after the NMES contractions (p = .000, p = .013, respectively) and after the NxES (p = .006, P-.006, respectively). Pain during NMES and NxES did not correlate with pain inhibition (p > .05). Self-reported pain sensitivity correlated with pain during NxES.
conclusionNxES and NMES produced higher PPTs in both knees but not in the finger, suggesting that the mechanisms responsible for the reduction in pain are located in the spinal cord and local tissues. Pain reduction was elicited during the NxES and NMES conditions regardless of the self-reported pain ratings. When NMES is used for muscle strengthening significant pain reduction can also occur, which is an unintended benefit of the intervention that could improve functional outcomes in patients.
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