Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Pilots, especially fight pilots, have to maintain a fixed position for a long time, so the scope of legs’ activities is limited, easily causing the bad blood circulation of legs. Thus, it causes muscle soreness and the feeling of tiredness. Previous studies found that intermediate frequency electric can promote local blood circulation significantly.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of low intensity of medium frequency electric stimulating on lumbar osympathetic ganglia of the healthy males, and compare the outcomes with static interferential electrotherapy.
METHODS: A total of 39 healthy men were randomly divided into three groups. On the lumbar sympathetic ganglion (T10-L2) placed the electrodes, and above the right ankle 2-cm put laser doppler probe. The current intensity was sensory threshold. The subjects accepted modulated medium frequency current stimulation, static interferential current stimulation, or no stimulation. The skin blood flow after 15 minutes of resting and at the end of electrical stimulation was recorded.
RESULTS AND CONCLUTION: Compared with the baseline, the amount of blood on distal lower extremity flow of modulated medium frequency current group was increased after the electric stimulating. However, it was decreased in the static interferential current group and the control group, especially the static interferential current group, which was obviously lower than the baseline (P < 0.05). The findings demonstrated that modulated medium frequency current stimulation can improve blood circulation in lower extremity and relieve fatigue caused by a long-time fixed position.