Does neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) mitigate postsurgical muscle weakness in older individuals with diabetes mellitus after cardiovascular surgery?
Electrical Muscle Stimulation Unit, a randomized controlled trial — the percent change in isometric knee extension strength (%ΔIKES) was significantly lower in the NMES group (mean -2%) compared to the sham group (mean -13%). The percent change in maximum walking speed (%ΔMWS) was also significantly lower in the NMES group, while percent changes in usual walking speed (%ΔUWS) and grip strength (%ΔGS) were lower but not significantly different between groups.
Source: Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2022, PMID 35272065 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: high
Ann Phys Rehabil Med · 2022 · PMID 35272065 · DOI 10.1016/j.rehab.2022.101659
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) can help reduce muscle weakness after cardiovascular surgery in older diabetic patients.
The question
Does neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) mitigate postsurgical muscle weakness in older individuals with diabetes mellitus after cardiovascular surgery?
What they tested
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) will reduce postsurgical muscle weakness in older individuals with diabetes mellitus who have undergone cardiovascular surgery.
How they did it
This was a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. Patients aged 65 years or older with diabetes who underwent cardiovascular surgery were screened and randomly assigned to either the NMES or sham group. The primary outcome was the percent change in isometric knee extension strength (%ΔIKES) from preoperative to postoperative day 7. Secondary outcomes included percent change in usual walking speed (%ΔUWS), maximum walking speed (%ΔMWS), and grip strength (%ΔGS). Intention-to-treat analysis was performed by a blinded statistician using a student t-test.
What they found
Out of 1151 screened participants, 180 (90 in NMES, 90 in sham) were included in the primary analysis. The percent change in isometric knee extension strength (%ΔIKES) was significantly lower in the NMES group (mean -2%) compared to the sham group (mean -13%). The percent change in maximum walking speed (%ΔMWS) was also significantly lower in the NMES group, while percent changes in usual walking speed (%ΔUWS) and grip strength (%ΔGS) were lower but not significantly different between groups.
| NMES Group | -2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sham Group | -13 |
The NMES group experienced a -2% change in isometric knee extension strength, while the sham group experienced a -13% change.
What it means
A short course of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for less than one week mitigated postsurgical muscle weakness and functional decline in older individuals with diabetes mellitus.
Limitations
The abstract does not explicitly state any limitations of the study.
Where the published abstract does not list limitations, we say so rather than inventing them. Read the full paper on PubMed before drawing conclusions.
The paper at a glance
| Title | Neuromuscular electrical stimulation after cardiovascular surgery mitigates muscle weakness in older individuals with diabetes |
|---|---|
| Journal | Ann Phys Rehabil Med |
| Year | 2022 |
| PMID | 35272065 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.rehab.2022.101659 ↗ |
| Topic | Muscle, strength & physical function |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
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Electrical Muscle Stimulation Unit
In controlled trials, NMES attenuates muscle loss and weakness during disuse (leg immobilization, ICU admission, and after knee surgery) and increases quadriceps strength, with cellular studies showing preserved muscle-fiber size and contractility.
An electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) unit, also called a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Does neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) mitigate postsurgical muscle weakness in older individuals with diabetes mellitus after cardiovascular surgery? [Plain-English summary of Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2022, PMID 35272065, DOI 10.1016/j.rehab.2022.101659]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d35272065.html@misc{magellan_d35272065,
title = {Does neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) mitigate postsurgical muscle weakness in older individuals with diabetes mellitus after cardiovascular surgery?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d35272065.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 35272065; DOI 10.1016/j.rehab.2022.101659; Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2022. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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