Thermal and non-thermal effects off capacitive-resistive electric transfer application on the Achilles tendon and musculotendinous junction of the gastrocnemius muscle: a cadaveric study

摘要

Background: Calf muscle strain and Achilles tendon injuries are common in many sports. For the treatment ofmuscular and tendinous injuries, one of the newer approaches in sports medicine is capacitive-resistive electrictransfer therapy. Our objective was to analyze this in vitro, using invasive temperature measurements in cadavericspecimens.Methods: A cross-sectional study designed with five fresh frozen cadavers (10 legs) were included in this study.Four interventions (capacitive and resistive modes; low- and high-power) was performed for 5 min each by adiathermy “T-Plus” device. Achilles tendon, musculotendinous junction and superficial temperatures were recordedat 1-min intervals and 5 min after treatment.Results: With the low-power capacitive protocol, at 5 min, there was a 25.21% increase in superficial temperature, a17.50% increase in Achilles tendon temperature and an 11.27% increase in musculotendinous junction temperature,with a current flow of 0.039 A ± 0.02.With the low-power resistive protocol, there was a 1.14% increase in superficial temperature, a 28.13% increase inAchilles tendon temperature and an 11.67% increase in musculotendinous junction temperature at 5 min, with acurrent flow of 0.063 A ± 0.02. With the high-power capacitive protocol there was an 88.52% increase in superficialtemperature, a 53.35% increase in Achilles tendon temperature and a 39.30% increase in musculotendinousjunction temperature at 5 min, with a current flow of 0.095 A ± 0.03. With the high-power resistive protocol, therewas a 21.34% increase in superficial temperature, a 109.70% increase in Achilles tendon temperature and an 81.49%increase in musculotendinous junction temperature at 5 min, with a current flow of 0.120 A ± 0.03.Conclusion: The low-power protocols resulted in only a very slight thermal effect at the Achilles tendon andmusculotendinous junction, but current flow was observed. The high-power protocols resulted in a greatertemperature increase at the Achilles tendon and musculotendinous junction and a greater current flow thanthe low-power protocols. The high-power resistive protocol gave the greatest increase in Achilles tendon andmusculotendinous junction temperature. Capacitive treatments (low- and high-power) achieved a greaterincrease in superficial temperature.