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

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the feasibility and potential benefits of combining lower-body electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) with resistance training for physically inactive postmenopausal women aged 50 to 70 years. This pilot randomized controlled trial focuses on women who experience declines in muscle strength, body composition, arterial elasticity, and cardiac autonomic balance after menopause. The goal is to see if this combined approach can be successfully delivered and to gather preliminary data for a larger future trial. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group receives supervised resistance training combined with lower-body EMS applied to six muscle groups (lower back, lower abdomen, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves), while the other group completes supervised resistance training alone. Both groups undergo twelve 50-minute sessions over 6 weeks, with two sessions per week. Each session includes a 10-minute warm-up, 30 minutes of main exercise involving eight machine-based lower-body resistance exercises, and a 10-minute cool-down. Throughout the study, researchers assess body composition, lower-body muscle function, arterial stiffness, and heart rate variability before and after the intervention. They monitor recruitment success, retention rates, session attendance, and intervention delivery to evaluate feasibility. Secondary outcomes include various measurements of muscle mass, fat, knee strength, and cardiovascular and autonomic function. The total participation period spans 6 weeks, with assessments at baseline and week 6.

Feasibility of Lower-Body EMS Combined With Resistance Training in Postmenopausal Women: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial