Author(s)

Yosuke Hiroshige¹, Daiki Watanabe^2,3, Chihiro Aibara², Keita Kanzaki⁴, Satoshi Matsunaga⁵, Masanobu Wada^2*

¹Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Physical Education, International Pacific University, Okayama-shi, Japan.
²Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima-shi, Japan.
³Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
⁴Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Kurashiki-shi, Japan.
⁵Faculty of Education, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki-shi, Japan.

Microcurrent (MC) therapy, in which a very small electric current is applied to the body, has widely been used to promote tissue healing and relieve symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of MC treatment on eccentric contraction (ECC)-induced muscle damage in rat fast-twitch skeletal muscles. Tibialis anterior muscles underwent 200 repeated ECCs in situ and were then stimulated (25 μA, 0.3 Hz) for 20 min (MC treatment). MC treatment was performed immediately after ECC and during a recovery period of 3 days (a total of 4 times). Three days after ECC, the muscles were excised and used for measure of force output and for biochemical analyses. In MC-treated muscles, tetanic forces at 20 Hz and 100 Hz were partially and fully restored, respectively, whereas in non-treated muscles, both forces remained depressed. Biochemical analyses revealed that MC treatment partially or completely inhibited ECC-induced reductions: in 1) the Ca²⁺-release function of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), 2) proteolysis of ryanodine receptor, a Ca²⁺ release channel of SR, and 3) myosin ATPase activity. On the other hand, MC treatment was unable to lessen increases in the activity of calpain, a cytosolic, Ca²⁺-activated neutral protease. These results indicate that MC treatment results in beneficial effects, such as restoration of muscle performance following ECC, although the precise mechanisms are still unknown at this time.

Ryanodine Receptor, Sarcoplasmic Reticulum, SERCA, Myosin ATPase

Hiroshige, Y. , Watanabe, D. , Aibara, C. , Kanzaki, K. , Matsunaga, S. and Wada, M. (2018) The Efficacy of Microcurrent Therapy on Eccentric Contraction-Induced Muscle Damage in Rat Fast-Twitch Skeletal Muscle. Open Journal of Applied Sciences, 8, 89-102. doi: 10.4236/ojapps.2018.83008.