• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to examine the anti-hyperalgesic effects of combination of electroacupuncture and microcurrent on anti-hyperalgesia in local hyperalgesia zone. Methods: It used 24 rats for experiment, divided them into control group, electroacupuncture group (EA group), microcurrent group (MC group), combination of electroacupuncture with microcurrent (EA+MC group), caused hyperalgesia by injecting ${\lambda}-carrageenan$ into hindpaw. Thickness of hindpaw, mechanical pain threshold (MPT), thermal pain threshold (TPT), noxious flexion withdrawal reflex (NFR) and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) were measured immediately after induction, at 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after induction. The electrical stimulation was given once a day for three days, 20min per session. Results: Change of thickness, MPT, and TPT showed significant difference in all groups compared to control group. In particular, there were remarkable difference in EA+ME group. In particular there were remarkable differences in EA group and EA+MC group. Change of NFR(% threshold, % reaction time, % RMS) and SEP showed mainly significant differences in EA group and EA+ME group compared to control group. In particular, there were remarkable difference in EA+ME group. Conclusion: The above results suggest that appropriate combination of microcurrent with electroacupuncture for pain control will be very desirable.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.36-50
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of high intensity, high frequency microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation(MENS) of auricular and somatic acupuncture points and low intensity, low frequency microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation(MENS) of auricular and somatic acupuncture points on experimental pressure threshold at the elbow according to the time. Fifty healthy adults, aged 19 to 26 years, were assigned randomly to one of five groups: 1) the high intensity, high frequency somatic group(n=10) received MENS to somatic acupuncture points, 2) the high intensity, high frequency auricular group(n=10) received MENS to auricular acupuncture points, 3) the low intensity, low frequency somatic group(n=10) received MENS to somatic acupuncture points, 4) the low intensity, low frequency somatic group(n=10) receive MENS to somatic acupuncture points, and 5) the placebo group(n=10) received placebo treatment and served as controls. Pressure threshold was measured before, after, 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes. Pressure threshold has increased significantly(p<.05) in the high intensity, high frequency auricular group following treatment after 5 minutes, with no statistically significant differences in pressure threshold change scores among five groups, Only the high intensity, high frequency auricular group demonstrated statistically significant change score in pressure threshold following treatment after, 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes after compared to the placebo group. The results indicated that MENS applied to the high intensity, high frequency auricular group increases pressure threshold.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 2010

This study aimed to examine the effect of microcurrent stimulation on expression of Bone Morphogenetic Protein(BMP) 4 after tibia fracture in rabbits. The twenty four adult 6 month old New Zealand white rabbits weighting 2.5~3.5 ㎏ were used. Twenty four rabbits with tibia fracture were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. Each group was divided into four subgroups, based on the duration of the experiment (3, 7, 14, 28 days). The experimental groups received microcurrent stimulation of 20~25 ${\mu}A$ intensity with surface Ag-AgCl electrode (diameter 1cm, Biopac, U.S.A.) for 24 hours a day. Cathode of the microcurrent stimulator located on the tibia directly, anode of it did on the gastrocnemius muscle. After evaluation, the test results are as follows: Comparisons of immunohistochemical observation of BMP-4 in 7 days after tibial fracture show that there was shown to be a moderate positive reaction (++) on concentric circles of Harversian system and the interstitial lamella in the control group, while there was a very strong positive reaction () on concentric circles of Harversian system and interstitial lamellain the experimental group. These results suggest that applying non-invasive constant microcurrent stimulation on fractured bone is helpful to bone healing.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2011

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease and is led to physical disability. Yet the development of effective disease-modifying treatments has lagged. In this study, I examined the effect of physical therapeutic intervention through microcurrent stimulation and attempt to find which degree of intensity, either 25 ${\mu}A$ or 500 ${\mu}A$ with a regular 5 pps pulse, is more effective in the osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis was induced with a mixture of 2% carrageenan and 2% kaolin in 26 male Sprague-Dawley rats. The mixture (0.1 $m{\ell}$) was injected into the intra-articular capsule of knee joint once a week for three weeks. Five animals did not show degenerative changes by radiological findings and excluded in the following experiment. Osteoarthritic animals were randomly divided into 3 groups ($n_1$, $n_2$, $n_3$=7/each): untreated, treated with 25 ${\mu}A$, treated with 500 ${\mu}A$. All experimental groups received microcurrent stimulation for four weeks (15 min/day, 5 days/week). The ethological inspection of foot print analysis on the walking corridor was accomplished every week. Histological preparations and immunohistochemical staining with insulin-like growth factor-1 were also done in the articular cartilages. All of these parameters were compared with those of osteoarthritic control group (n=7). The ethological inspection of foot print analysis revealed that changes of walking track (paw width) and stride length was significantly increased in both experimental groups. The better results were observed in experimental group treated with 25 ${\mu}A$ intensity without significance than group treated with 500 ${\mu}A$. Histological preparations disclosed that routine hyaline cartilage of articular surface were altered to fibrous cartilage in untreated group and experimental group treated with 500 ${\mu}A$ intensity. But a little changes were seen in experimental group treated with 25 ${\mu}A$ intensity. Immunolocalization of insulin-like growth factor-1 was simultaneously decreased according to the duration of osteoarthritis, and did not show significant difference among the groups. In this study discovered that the microcurrent stimulation, especially 25 ${\mu}A$ intensity, had a positive effect by the ethological inspection, histological and immunohistochemical stainings. These results suggest that microcurrent stimulation with low-intensity might be effective in the promotion of healing process for the osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.545-551
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• 2013

This study aimed to compare the effects of microcurrent stimulation and rest on the fatigue index by applying both to subjects who had accumulated fatigue after performing short-duration physical activity. The experiment was performed at S University from December 2012 to February 2013, on 22 healthy men in their 20s, who were right-handed, and without peripheral or musculoskeletal diseases. All subjects lifted a 10-kg box lift and lower 100 times in 15 minutes. Immediately after that, muscle fatigue index (Median Frequency: MF) and blood fatigue index (Creatine Kinase Lactate: CK, Lactate Dehydrogenase: LDH) were measured by using surface electromyography. The subjects were divided into two groups, and microcurrent stimulation and rest were mediated to the experimental and control groups, respectively, for 20 minutes. After intervention, muscle fatigue index and blood fatigue index were measured and the changes in the accumulated fatigue index were compared. Both groups manifested significantly decreased cumulative fatigue after applying the mediation compared to the pre-intervention level (p < .05), the only exception being the fatigue index of the left erector spinae in the rest group. Compared to the rest group, the microcurrent stimulation group showed a significant decrease in muscle fatigue index (p < .05) but no significant differences were found in the blood fatigue index. Given the results of this study, microcurrent stimulation is considered to be helpful in muscle fatigue recovery for workers who have to perform repetitive movements lifting weights, and additional studies on the correlations of the fatigue recovery with respect to the long-term follow-up of fatigue index and mediation time are necessary.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.76-87
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• 2000

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common problem that can interfere with rehabilitation as well as activities of daily living. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of both transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation (MENS) on DOMS, Twenty-seven untrained and male volunteer subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: 1) a group that received TENS (7 Hz), 2) MENS (60 ${\mu}A$, .3 pps) or 3) a control group that received no treatment. Subjects performed repeated eccentric exercise of the non-dominant forearm flexor muscle with submaximal intensity by the simply designed eccentric exercise devices. Treatments were applied after 24 hours and 48 hours. Subjects attended on two consecutive days for treatment and measurement of elbow flexion, extension, resting angle (universal goniometer), and pain (visual analogue scale: VAS) on a daily basis. Measurements were taken after treatment. Analysis of results were as follows; 1) There were no significant differences between TENS and MENS by one-way repeated ANOVA, 2) The t-test for pain, resting, flexion and extension angle revealed significant differences within TENS group, 3) The t-test for resting angle revealed significant differences within MENS group.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 1996

High Voltage Pulsed Current Stimulation(HVPCS) and Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation(MENS) have been used to promote the healing of decubitus ulcer and surgical wounds. The benefits of HVPCS and MENS are thought to include an inhibitive effect on bacterial growth. The purpose of this study was to compare the inhibitive effect of two different electrical stimulation techniques growth in vitro. Using agarose-based media, the two bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus, Esherichia coli - which are commonly isolated from open wounds were incubated in an incubator for 24 hours following exposure to HVPCS(400 V, 120 pps, $70{\mu}s$) and MENS($100{\mu}A$, 0.3 Hz). We then measured the zone of inhibition around each electrode. Both HVPCS and MENS produced an inhibitive effect on bacterial growth in this vitro study. However MENS was more effective than HVPCS.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.121-133
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• 2008

Objectives : MENS was used for wound healing and pain relief using bioelectric property. There are many articles on in vivo and clinical research. This article reviews articles on MENS published for recent 10 years to consider effectiveness of MENS and other fields to applicate MENS. Articles were collected from MAR, 2008 to JUN, 2008. Methods : We searched Pubmed, KSI, KERIS, KMBASE, and National assembly library using "Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation" and classified the articles into subsets of foreign, Korean and wound healing, pain, relief, and increasing the range of movement(ROM). Also we evaluated their values according to the Jadad scale. Results : A total of 18 articles (Foreign-9, Korean-9) reconfirmed that MENS reduces pain, increases wound healing, ROM, and strength of muscle. In addition, MENS has effect on stress-hormone and various pain like low back pain, acute lateral epicondylitis, and plantar fascitis. And there are various styles developed. However, there is no standard protocol so the user is usually in trouble at clinic. Conclusions : MENS may be have application to various pain diseases, and further studies analysing its effectiveness are needed.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

Purpose : We investigated the effects of microcurrent(MC) electrical stimulation on each intensity($100{\mu}A,\;200{\mu}A,\;500{\mu}A$ - 30pps frequency was same) on delayed onset muscle soreness(DOMS). Methods : Subjects were assigned randomly divided into three groups of eight for three different treatment protocoals($100{\mu}A,\;200{\mu}A,\;500{\mu}A$-experimental groups). Twenty-four healthy males and females subjects were participated in this study. All subjects performed eccentric exercise of elbow flexor(biceps brachii) until exhausted. The measured items of elbow flexor muscle strength were Nicholas Manual Muscle Taster(NMMT). The measured items of elbow joint range of motion ROM) were Goniometer. The measured items of elbow flexor muscle pain were visual analogue scale(VAS). Treatment were applied at 30 minute exercise after and again at 24 hours and at 48 hours and at 72 hours after. Measurements were taken after treatment. Analysis of Results using repeated measures analysis of variance(ANOVA) and post hoc tests were as follows: two-way ANOVA with repeated measurement for muscle strength, flexion ROM, extension ROM and VAS. Results : This results showed eccentric exercise casused DOMS, DOMS response to eccentric exercise were reduces by microcurrent therapy. DOMS was significant decreased at $100{\mu}A,\;200{\mu}A,\;500{\mu}A$. Muscle strength was significant difference at all intensity. Elbow flexion ROM was significant difference at all intensity but elbow extension ROM was insignificant difference at all intensity. VAS score was significant difference at $100{\mu}A$ and $500{\mu}A$ but insignificant difference at $200{\mu}A$. All experimental groups showed insignificant difference with all intensity MENS. Conclusion : These findings indicate that microcurrent therapy is had effect on recovery from exercise induced muscle damage. In our's suggestion, microcurrent therapy is particularly more appropriate therapeutic modality.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.85-93
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• 1994

The purposes of this study were 1) to examine the effects of microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation 2) to compare surface electrode with needle electrode at somatic acupuncture points on experimental pain threshold measured at the distal end of the radius 3) to determine the changes in effect over time. A total of sixty healthy adult male and female subjects were assigned randomly to one of two experimental group or to a control group. Group 1(n=20) received MENS(Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation) with surface electrode. Group 2(n=20) received HENS with needle electrode. Group 3(n=20) received no MENS. It measured experimental pain threshold at the wrist on pretreatment, 0 min after treatment. 15 min after treatment, 30 min after treatment in two experimental group. The results were as follows: 1. Experimental pain thresholds were higher in males than females(P<0.01). 2. Only the experimental group exhibited a significant increased in pain threshold after MENS treatment(P<0.05). 3. Surface electrode group increased significant pain threshold 0 min, 15 min after treatment, but greatly decrease 30 min after treatment. 4. Needle electrode group increased significant pain threshold 0 min, 15 min after treatment, but decrease 30 min after treatment. The results suggest that MENS applied to appropriate somatic acupuncture point can increase pain threshold. Further research is needed to assess the effects of greatly variety intensity of MENS of pain sufferes.