Active not recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Post-operative Electrical Muscle Stimulation to Stimulate Muscle Protein Synthesis in Humans

This study is exploring how different types of electrical muscle stimulation can help people keep their muscle strength after surgery. When you have an operation, especially a major one, it's often hard to move around and exercise as much as usual. This can lead to your muscles getting weaker and smaller quite quickly. Researchers want to find the best way to use gentle electrical pulses on the muscles, like those in the leg, to help prevent this muscle loss. By finding the most effective approach, they hope to improve recovery and wellbeing for patients. This initial study will help them design a larger trial for surgical patients.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University of Nottingham

Enrolment target

Start

22 May 2023

Estimated completion

28 Dec 2025

Skeletal Muscle Atrophy

What is this study about?

When you're healthy, muscles make up a large part of your body, helping you move, stay active, and keep your body working well. However, after certain illnesses, injuries, or surgery, your muscles can quickly start to shrink and weaken. This can make everyday tasks much harder and slow down your recovery. Doctors and researchers are always looking for better ways to prevent this muscle loss.

After surgery, particularly big operations on the tummy or legs, people often can't do much exercise. This means the usual ways to keep muscles strong, like lifting weights, aren't possible. This study is testing a different idea: using small electrical pulses to gently stimulate your muscles, making them contract without you having to actively move. This is called Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES).

Previous research has shown that this electrical stimulation can help maintain muscle size and strength in patients after surgery. However, what we don't yet know is the ideal way to do it – how strong the pulses should be, how often, and for how long. This study aims to try out three different ways of delivering this electrical stimulation to see which one is best at encouraging muscles to rebuild themselves. The information learned from this will then help design a future study for real patients after surgery.

Key takeaways

Electrical muscle stimulation might help prevent muscle loss after surgery.
This study aims to find the best way to deliver this stimulation.
Participants will be healthy volunteers aged 60-85.
The findings will help design future studies for surgical patients.
The stimulation is generally safe and well-tolerated.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for healthy volunteers between the ages of 60 and 85 years old. You need to be willing to understand the study and agree to take part.

There are some reasons why you might not be able to join the study. For example, if you are very underweight or overweight, or if you regularly do a lot of structured exercise like weight training. You also can't take part if you have certain health conditions.

These conditions include serious breathing problems like severe COPD, heart problems like uncontrolled high blood pressure or a recent heart attack, certain brain conditions like a history of stroke or epilepsy, or problems with your metabolism like uncontrolled diabetes. Other reasons for not being able to join include certain blood disorders, active gut or kidney disease, a recent cancer diagnosis, or if you've recently used steroid medication.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 60 and 85 years old?
Do you feel generally healthy, without major weight problems?
Are you free from severe heart, lung, brain, or metabolic conditions?
Have you avoided regular, structured exercise like weight training for the last six months?
Have you not had cancer or used steroids recently?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you will have regular visits to the research clinic. There will be various assessments during these visits to check your muscle health and how well the electrical stimulation is working. You will receive the electrical stimulation treatment, which involves small pads placed on your muscles that deliver gentle electrical pulses. The total duration of your involvement in the study will be clearly explained to you before you start.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study might not directly benefit you, but it could help us understand how to better care for patients recovering from surgery in the future. The electrical stimulation is generally safe and well-tolerated, but like any medical procedure, there's a small chance of minor discomfort or skin irritation. You can ask any questions you have at any time, and you are free to withdraw from the study at any point without giving a reason, and this won't affect your medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

University of Nottingham
Verified postcode
Nottingham, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is 'electrical muscle stimulation'?

It's when small electrical pulses are used to gently make your muscles contract, similar to how they would if you were exercising, but without you having to actively move.

Why is this study important?

It helps us find the best way to stop patients losing muscle after surgery, especially when they can't do much physical activity.

Will it hurt?

The electrical stimulation is generally described as a buzzing or tingling sensation. It shouldn't be painful, and the team will make sure you are comfortable.

Who is paying for this research?

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, a government organisation that supports health research in the UK.

How long will I be in the study?

The team will tell you the exact time commitment, including the number of visits and the overall length of your involvement, before you join.