The purpose of this study is to determine whether the transcutaneous application of unmodulated high frequency alternating currents could produce a quickly conduction block of peripheral nerve.
In the last years several animal experimental studies have evidenced that high frequency unmodulated currents about 5 KHz can cause a peripheral nerve block. However electric currents with these high frequencies that are usually used for the treatment of pain in humans are interrupted or modulated (i.e. interferential currents). It has show that the diameter of the nerve it is related with the frequency to produce the conduction block. For this reason the investigators decided to applied 20KHz to observe the effects on maximal manual force and to compare versus sham stimulation. Only one study has applied 5KHz on experimental pain and they have demonstrated changes in somatosensory thresholds.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
10
high-Frequency electrical stimulation over superficial ulnar and median nerve through the electrotherapy device Myomed 932. (Enraf-Nonius, Delft, Netherlands)
Sham transcutaneous electrical stimulation over superficial ulnar and median nerve through the electrotherapy device Myomed 932. (Enraf-Nonius, Delft, Netherlands)
Baseline Hand Muscle Strength
The hand muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton
Time frame: Baseline at 0 min
Hand muscle strength after treatment 20 min
The hand muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton
Time frame: After treatment 20 min
Change from baseline in Muscle strength
The hand muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton
Time frame: baseline at 0 min, immediately after treatment at 20 min
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