Cette page a été traduite automatiquement et l'exactitude de la traduction n'est pas garantie. Veuillez vous référer au version anglaise pour un texte source.

Feasibility of Lower-Body EMS Resistance Training in Postmenopausal Women (LB-EMS-Pilot)

27 juillet 2026 mis à jour par: Kyungho Kim, Seoul National University

Feasibility and Effects of Lower-Body Electrical Muscle Stimulation Resistance Training on Body Composition, Muscle Function, Arteriosclerotic Indices, and Autonomic Function in Postmenopausal Women: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluates whether combining lower-body electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) with resistance training is feasible and beneficial for physically inactive postmenopausal women, who experience concurrent declines in muscle strength, body composition, arterial elasticity, and cardiac autonomic balance.

Sixteen physically inactive postmenopausal women aged 50-70 years are randomly assigned (1:1) to either (A) supervised resistance training combined with lower-body EMS (applied to 6 muscle groups: lower back, lower abdomen, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves) or (B) supervised resistance training alone. Both groups complete twelve 50-minute sessions (consisting of a 10-minute warm-up, 30-minute main exercise, and a 10-minute cool-down) over 6 weeks (twice weekly). Assessments before and after the intervention include body composition, lower-body muscle function, arterial stiffness, and 5-minute heart rate variability.

The primary aim is to determine the feasibility of the protocol(recruitment, retention, session attendance, and intervention dose delivery) to inform a future definitive trial. Preliminary estimates of intervention effects on the measured outcomes are reported as secondary aims.

Aperçu de l'étude

Description détaillée

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE Postmenopausal women often experience physiological declines in muscle function, body composition, and cardiovascular health. While resistance training is an established countermeasure, maximizing its efficiency and adherence remains a challenge. Applying lower-body electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) during resistance training may enhance physiological adaptations and overall training effectiveness. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of combining lower-body EMS with resistance training in physically inactive postmenopausal women to inform the design of a future definitive trial.

STUDY DESIGN This is a pilot randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving combined lower-body EMS and resistance training or a control group receiving resistance training alone. Clinical and physiological outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention period to evaluate preliminary effects.

PRIMARY FEASIBILITY OUTCOMES

The primary objective is to evaluate the feasibility of the study protocol. Feasibility will be determined by assessing several key components, including:

Recruitment: The ability to recruit the target population within the planned timeframe.

Retention: The proportion of participants who complete the study and post-intervention assessments.

Adherence: Participant attendance and compliance with the scheduled exercise sessions.

Intervention Fidelity: The successful delivery of the exercise intensity and EMS protocol as intended.

These components will be evaluated against pre-established progression criteria to determine whether the protocol can proceed to a larger trial or requires modification.

STATISTICAL APPROACH Feasibility outcomes will be summarized primarily using descriptive statistics. For secondary physiological and clinical outcomes, appropriate statistical methods will be utilized to estimate the preliminary effects of the intervention, comparing changes between the groups while adjusting for baseline measurements. Effect sizes and confidence intervals will be calculated to provide preliminary evidence and to assist with sample size calculations for future large-scale trials.

Type d'étude

Interventionnel

Inscription (Réel)

16

Phase

  • N'est pas applicable

Contacts et emplacements

Cette section fournit les coordonnées de ceux qui mènent l'étude et des informations sur le lieu où cette étude est menée.

Lieux d'étude

    • Seoul
      • Seoul, Seoul, Corée du Sud, 08826
        • Seoul National University

Critères de participation

Les chercheurs recherchent des personnes qui correspondent à une certaine description, appelée critères d'éligibilité. Certains exemples de ces critères sont l'état de santé général d'une personne ou des traitements antérieurs.

Critère d'éligibilité

Âges éligibles pour étudier

  • Adulte
  • Adulte plus âgé

Accepte les volontaires sains

Oui

La description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women aged 50 to 70 years.
  • Menopause for at least 1 year with no current menstruation.
  • Physically inactive (have not participated in resistance training more than twice a week for the past 6 months)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
  • Presence of implanted electrical medical devices.
  • Severe or uncontrolled medical conditions.
  • Any surgery within the past 6 months.
  • Acute illness with fever, infection, or active inflammation.
  • Severe peripheral arterial disease or abdominal/inguinal hernia.
  • Severe psychiatric disorders requiring medication, or current substance abuse.
  • Deemed physically or mentally unfit to participate in the exercise program by the investigator.

Plan d'étude

Cette section fournit des détails sur le plan d'étude, y compris la façon dont l'étude est conçue et ce que l'étude mesure.

Comment l'étude est-elle conçue ?

Détails de conception

  • Objectif principal: Autre
  • Répartition: Randomisé
  • Modèle interventionnel: Affectation parallèle
  • Masquage: Seul

Armes et Interventions

Groupe de participants / Bras
Intervention / Traitement
Expérimental: A Group: EMS + Resistance Training
Lower-body EMS combined with 8 machine-based resistance exercises for 6 weeks, 2 sessions per week.
Electrical muscle stimulation (85 Hz, 350 μs, cycle 11, duty approx 1:2) applied to 6 muscle groups: lower back (erector spinae), lower abdomen, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.
A 50-minute session consisting of a 10-minute warm-up, 30 minutes of main exercise (8 machine-based lower-body resistance exercises, 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions), and a 10-minute cool-down.
Comparateur actif: B Group: Resistance Training
8 machine-based resistance exercises for 6 weeks, 2 sessions per week without EMS.
A 50-minute session consisting of a 10-minute warm-up, 30 minutes of main exercise (8 machine-based lower-body resistance exercises, 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions), and a 10-minute cool-down.

Que mesure l'étude ?

Principaux critères de jugement

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Composite Feasibility Outcome (Recruitment, Retention, Session Attendance, and Intervention Dose Delivery)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

The primary outcome is the feasibility of the study protocol, assessed via recruitment rates, participant retention, session adherence, and targeted intervention delivery. These indicators will be evaluated against pre-defined progression criteria using descriptive statistics to determine whether to proceed with or modify the protocol for a future definitive trial.

Unit: Percentage

Baseline and Week 6

Mesures de résultats secondaires

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (SMI)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by height squared. Unit: kg/m².
Baseline and Week 6
Total Body Muscle Mass
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Total skeletal muscle mass of the whole body. Unit: kg
Baseline and Week 6
Total Leg Muscle Mass
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Combined left and right leg skeletal muscle mass. Unit: kg
Baseline and Week 6
Body Fat Percentage
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Body fat mass expressed as a percentage of total body weight. Unit: %
Baseline and Week 6
Total Body Fat Mass
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Absolute total body fat in kilograms. Unit: kg
Baseline and Week 6
Estimated Visceral Fat Area (eVFA)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Estimated visceral fat area at the umbilical level. Unit: cm²
Baseline and Week 6
Waist Circumference
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Circumference measured at the level of the umbilicus. Unit: cm
Baseline and Week 6
Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Waist circumference divided by hip circumference. Unit: ratio
Baseline and Week 6
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Body weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. Unit: kg/m²
Baseline and Week 6
Phase Angle
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Whole-body bioimpedance phase angle derived from the arctangent of the reactance-to-resistance ratio. Marker of cellular membrane integrity and overall nutritional/health status.

Unit: degrees

Baseline and Week 6
Dominant Knee Extensor Peak Torque per Body Weight at 60°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Peak concentric knee extensor torque normalized to body weight, measured at 60°/sec angular velocity on the dominant limb.

Unit: Nm/kg

Baseline and Week 6
Non-dominant Knee Extensor Peak Torque per Body Weight at 60°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Peak concentric knee extensor torque normalized to body weight at 60°/sec on the non-dominant limb.

Unit: Nm/kg

Baseline and Week 6
Dominant Knee Flexor Peak Torque per Body Weight at 60°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Peak concentric knee flexor (hamstring) torque normalized to body weight at 60°/sec on the dominant limb.

Unit: Nm/kg

Baseline and Week 6
Non-dominant Knee Flexor Peak Torque per Body Weight at 60°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Peak concentric knee flexor torque normalized to body weight at 60°/sec on the non-dominant limb.

Unit: Nm/kg

Baseline and Week 6
Dominant Hamstring-to-Quadriceps (H/Q) Ratio at 60°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Ratio of knee flexor peak torque to knee extensor peak torque at 60°/sec on the dominant limb.

Unit: ratio

Baseline and Week 6
Non-dominant Hamstring-to-Quadriceps (H/Q) Ratio at 60°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Ratio of knee flexor peak torque to knee extensor peak torque at 60°/sec on the non-dominant limb.

Unit: ratio

Baseline and Week 6
Dominant Total Work Done by Knee Extensor per Body Weight at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Total work performed by knee extensors across the test set, normalized to body weight, at 180°/sec angular velocity on the dominant limb.

Unit: Nm/kg

Baseline and Week 6
Non-dominant Total Work Done by Knee Extensor per Body Weight at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Total work performed by knee extensors normalized to body weight at 180°/sec on the non-dominant limb.

Unit: Nm/kg

Baseline and Week 6
Dominant Total Work Done by Knee Flexor per Body Weight at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Total work performed by knee flexors normalized to body weight at 180°/sec on the dominant limb.

Unit: Nm/kg

Baseline and Week 6
Non-dominant Total Work Done by Knee Flexor per Body Weight at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Total work performed by knee flexors normalized to body weight at 180°/sec on the non-dominant limb.

Unit: Nm/kg

Baseline and Week 6
Average Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity (baPWV)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Mean of left and right brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity; primary indicator of large-artery stiffness.

Unit: cm/s

Baseline and Week 6
Highest Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity (baPWV)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
The higher of left and right baPWV values, reflecting the most affected limb. Unit: cm/s
Baseline and Week 6
Brachial Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Brachial systolic blood pressure. Unit: mmHg
Baseline and Week 6
Brachial Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Brachial diastolic blood pressure. Unit: mmHg
Baseline and Week 6
Pulse Pressure (PP)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Pulse pressure calculated as systolic minus diastolic blood pressure. Unit: mmHg
Baseline and Week 6
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Mean arterial pressure derived from systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Unit: mmHg
Baseline and Week 6
Average Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Mean of left and right ankle-brachial systolic blood pressure ratio. Unit: ratio
Baseline and Week 6
Augmentation Index (AI)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Augmentation index derived from second-derivative photoplethysmography. Unit: unitless
Baseline and Week 6
Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Root mean square of successive differences between adjacent normal-to-normal RR intervals.

Unit: ms

Baseline and Week 6
High-Frequency (HF) Power
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Spectral power in the high-frequency band (0.15-0.4 Hz); index of parasympathetic (vagal) activity.

Unit: ms²

Baseline and Week 6
Standard Deviation of NN Intervals (SDNN)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Standard deviation of all normal-to-normal RR intervals; time-domain index of overall heart rate variability.

Unit: ms

Baseline and Week 6
Low-Frequency (LF) Power
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Spectral power in the low-frequency band (0.04-0.15 Hz). Unit: ms²
Baseline and Week 6
LF/HF Ratio
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Ratio of low-frequency to high-frequency spectral power. Unit: ratio
Baseline and Week 6
High-Frequency Normalized Units (HFnu)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
HF power expressed in normalized units = HF / (LF + HF) × 100. Unit: n.u.
Baseline and Week 6
Low-Frequency Normalized Units (LFnu)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
LF power expressed in normalized units = LF / (LF + HF) × 100. Unit: n.u.
Baseline and Week 6
Total Power (TP)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Total spectral power up to 0.4 Hz. Unit: ms²
Baseline and Week 6
Very-Low-Frequency (VLF) Power
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Spectral power in the very-low-frequency band (≤0.04 Hz). Unit: ms²
Baseline and Week 6

Autres mesures de résultats

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Dominant Knee Extensor Fatigue Index at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Percentage decline in knee extensor torque across the repetition set at 180°/sec on the dominant limb.

Unit: %

Baseline and Week 6
Non-dominant Knee Extensor Fatigue Index at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Percentage decline in knee extensor torque across the repetition set at 180°/sec on the non-dominant limb.

Unit: %

Baseline and Week 6
Dominant Knee Flexor Fatigue Index at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Percentage decline in knee flexor torque across the repetition set at 180°/sec on the dominant limb.

Unit: %.

Baseline and Week 6
Non-dominant Knee Flexor Fatigue Index at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Percentage decline in knee flexor torque across the repetition set at 180°/sec on the non-dominant limb.

Unit: %

Baseline and Week 6
Bilateral Deficit of Knee Extensors at 60°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Percentage asymmetry of knee extensor peak torque between dominant and non-dominant limbs at 60°/sec.

Unit: %

Baseline and Week 6
Bilateral Deficit of Knee Flexors at 60°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Percentage asymmetry of knee flexor peak torque between dominant and non-dominant limbs at 60°/sec.

Unit: %

Baseline and Week 6
Dominant Total Work Done H/Q Ratio at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Ratio of knee flexor to knee extensor total work done at 180°/sec on the dominant limb.

Unit: ratio

Baseline and Week 6
Non-dominant Total Work Done H/Q Ratio at 180°/s
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Ratio of knee flexor to knee extensor total work done at 180°/sec on the non-dominant limb.

Unit: ratio

Baseline and Week 6
Arterial Elasticity (AE)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6
Arterial elasticity index derived from second-derivative photoplethysmography. Unit: unitless
Baseline and Week 6
Peripheral Elasticity (PE)
Délai: Baseline and Week 6

Peripheral elasticity index derived from second-derivative photoplethysmography.

Unit: unitless.

Baseline and Week 6

Collaborateurs et enquêteurs

C'est ici que vous trouverez les personnes et les organisations impliquées dans cette étude.

Les enquêteurs

  • Chercheur principal: Yeon Soo Kim, MD, Prof, Seoul National University

Dates d'enregistrement des études

Ces dates suivent la progression des dossiers d'étude et des soumissions de résultats sommaires à ClinicalTrials.gov. Les dossiers d'étude et les résultats rapportés sont examinés par la Bibliothèque nationale de médecine (NLM) pour s'assurer qu'ils répondent à des normes de contrôle de qualité spécifiques avant d'être publiés sur le site Web public.

Dates principales de l'étude

Début de l'étude (Réel)

1 juin 2026

Achèvement primaire (Réel)

27 juillet 2026

Achèvement de l'étude (Réel)

27 juillet 2026

Dates d'inscription aux études

Première soumission

1 juin 2026

Première soumission répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

1 juin 2026

Première publication (Réel)

5 juin 2026

Mises à jour des dossiers d'étude

Dernière mise à jour publiée (Réel)

28 juillet 2026

Dernière mise à jour soumise répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

27 juillet 2026

Dernière vérification

1 juillet 2026

Plus d'information

Termes liés à cette étude

Plan pour les données individuelles des participants (IPD)

Prévoyez-vous de partager les données individuelles des participants (DPI) ?

INDÉCIS

Informations sur les médicaments et les dispositifs, documents d'étude

Étudie un produit pharmaceutique réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Étudie un produit d'appareil réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Ces informations ont été extraites directement du site Web clinicaltrials.gov sans aucune modification. Si vous avez des demandes de modification, de suppression ou de mise à jour des détails de votre étude, veuillez contacter register@clinicaltrials.gov. Dès qu'un changement est mis en œuvre sur clinicaltrials.gov, il sera également mis à jour automatiquement sur notre site Web .

S'abonner