Abstract

Introduction: Muscle injuries are commonly found and controlled by endogenous muscle mechanisms. However, when this system fails, other interventions are necessary to accelerate the regeneration process and ensure the maintenance of functional capacity, including the application of microcurrent (MIC). Therefore, there is little evidence on the effects of MIC on muscle regeneration. Within this context, MIC therapy may be an alternative for the treatment of muscle-related injuries.

Objective: To synthesize the available scientific evidence on the effects and parameters of MIC used in the muscle regeneration process . Methodology: This is an integrative literature review study , where the search was conducted from January to October 2022, through the Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Latin American and Caribbean Literature ( LILACS ), and US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health (PubMed) databases , using the following keywords: microcurrent, muscle injury, muscle regeneration. The articles were selected based on the analysis of their titles, followed by their abstracts.

Results: After applying the eligibility criteria, 166 articles were found , of which 7 studies were selected for data extraction. The studies showed that application intensities of 10 to 50 μA , 50 to 100 μA , and 100 to 500 μA were more effective than therapies with higher intensities, above 1000 μA , and in a shorter time of 15 to 60 minutes. Conclusion: The application of microcurrent proved effective in the muscle regeneration process, when applied at low intensities , between 10 and 50 μA and in a shorter time, for 60 minutes . However, further studies are needed to elucidate which ideal parameters and durations should be applied to better synthesize this statement.

Keywords

regeneration; electrical stimulation therapy; musculoskeletal system