SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Online Türk Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 11 Sayı: 3

Acute Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on Grip Strength and Manual Dexterity

Transkutanöz Elektriksel Sinir Stimülasyonunun (TENS) Kavrama Kuvveti ve El Becerisi Üzerindeki Akut Etkileri

Caglayan Pinar Ozturk(SÜLEYMAN DEMİREL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-7049-9746
Nadir Tayfun Özcan(SÜLEYMAN DEMİREL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-2239-2562
Beyza Kesler(SULEYMAN DEMIREL UNIVERSITY)0009-0005-1888-5673
Pages
296–302
Publication Date
2026-09-15
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These findings indicate that the increase in manual dexterity is not specific to TENS.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of conventional Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on grip strength and manual dexterity in healthy young adults.
📊
Key Findings & Data:TENS and sham TENS were administered in separate sessions.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:These findings indicate that the increase in manual dexterity is not specific to TENS.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Kavrama kuvveti · purdue pegboard · transkutanöz elektriksel sinir stimülasyonu

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of conventional Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on grip strength and manual dexterity in healthy young adults. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine healthy young adults participated in this non-randomized, sham-controlled crossover trial. TENS and sham TENS were administered in separate sessions. Grip strength was measured with a hand dynamometer before stimulation, during stimulation, immediately after stimulation, and 15 minutes after stimulation; manual dexterity of the dominant hand was assessed using the Purdue Pegboard Test before and after stimulation (within 2–5 minutes). The data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: Manual dexterity increased significantly over time in both the TENS and sham conditions. However, no significant change in grip strength was observed over time. The condition × time interaction was p = 0.140 for grip strength and p = 0.343 for manual dexterity; neither interaction was significant for either outcome variable. These findings indicate that the increase in manual dexterity is not specific to TENS. Conclusion: A single session of conventional TENS administered to healthy young adults did not result in significantly greater acute improvements in grip strength or manual dexterity than sham application. Therefore, the present findings do not demonstrate a TENS-specific acute effect on hand motor performance.

Özet

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, sağlıklı genç yetişkinlerde uygulanan konvansiyonel Transkutanöz Elektriksel Sinir Stimülasyonu’nun (TENS) kavrama kuvveti ve el becerisi üzerindeki akut etkilerini incelemektir. Materyal ve Metot: Randomize olmayan, sham kontrollü çapraz geçişli olarak tasarlanan bu çalışmaya 29 sağlıklı genç yetişkin dahil edilmiştir. Kavrama kuvveti, stimülasyondan önce, stimülasyon sırasında, stimülasyondan hemen sonra ve stimülasyondan 15 dakika sonra el dinamometresi ile, dominant elin el becerisi, stimülasyon öncesinde ve sonrasında (2–5 dakika içinde) Purdue Pegboard Testi kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Veriler, tekrarlı ölçümler için varyans analizi ile analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular: El becerisi, hem TENS hem de sham koşulunda zamanla anlamlı biçimde artmıştır. Kavrama kuvvetinde ise zaman içinde anlamlı bir değişiklik saptanmamıştır. Durum × zaman etkileşimi kavrama kuvveti için p = 0,140, el becerisi için p = 0,343 olup her iki sonuç değişkeninde de anlamlı bulunmamıştır. Bu bulgular, el becerisindeki artışın TENS’e özgü olmadığını göstermektedir. Sonuç: Sağlıklı genç yetişkinlerde tek seanslık konvansiyonel TENS uygulaması, sham uygulamaya kıyasla kavrama kuvveti ve el becerisinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir üstünlük sağlamamıştır. Bu bulgular, çalışma koşulları altında TENS’in el motor performansı üzerinde özgül bir akut etkisi olmadığını göstermektedir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Ozturk, C. P., Özcan, N. T., Kesler, B. (2026). Acute Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on Grip Strength and Manual Dexterity. Online Türk Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 11 Sayı: 3, 296–302. https://doi.org/10.26453/otjhs.1974049

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (23)

  1. Schabrun SM, Ridding MC, Galea MP, Hodges PW, Chipchase LS. Primary sensory and motor cortex excitability are co-modulated in response to peripheral electrical nerve stimulation. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(12): e51298. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0051298.
  2. Hernandez-Pavon JC, Avrillon S, Hoo G, Pons JL. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation modulates corticospinal excitability while preserving motor unit discharge properties during isometric contractions. bioRxiv. 2022. doi:10.1101/2022.03.10.483702.
  3. Kurukuti NM, Avrillon S, Pons JL. A session of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation changes the input-output function of motoneurons and alters the sense of force. Journal of Neurophysiology. 2025;133(6):1619-1629. doi:10.1152/jn.00140.2024.
  4. Jadidi AF, Stevenson AJT, Zarei AA, Jensen W, Lontis R. Effect of modulated TENS on corticospinal excitability in healthy subjects. Neuroscience. 2022; 485:53-64. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.004.
  5. Tinazzi M, Zarattini S, Valeriani M, et al. Long-lasting modulation of human motor cortex following prolonged transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of forearm muscles: Evidence of reciprocal inhibition and facilitation. Experimental Brain Research. 2005;161(4):457-464. doi:10.1007/s00221-004-2091-y.
  6. Cho HY, In TS, Cho KH, Song CH. A single trial of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) improves spasticity and balance in patients with chronic stroke. Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2013;229(3):187-193. doi:10.1620/tjem.229.187.
  7. Alwhaibi RM, Mahmoud NF, Zakaria HM, et al. Therapeutic efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation acupoints on motor and neural recovery of the affected upper extremity in chronic stroke: A sham-controlled randomized clinical trial. Healthcare. 2021;9(5):614. doi:10.3390/healthcare9050614.
  8. In TS, Jung JH, Jung KS, Cho HY. Effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with taping for stroke rehabilitation. BioMed Research International. 2021;2021:9912094. doi:10.1155/2021/9912094.
  9. Alashram AR. Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on upper limb recovery in stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Hand Therapy. 2026;39(1):109-119. doi:10.1016/j.jht.2025.05.015.
  10. Nahhas O, Astill SL, Chakrabarty S, Burdon J, Capozio A. Effectiveness of electrical stimulation on upper limb function in children and young people with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025;14(19):6718. doi:10.3390/jcm14196718.
  11. Dickstein R, Kafri M. Effects of antecedent TENS on EMG activity of the finger flexor muscles and on grip force. Somatosensory & Motor Research. 2008;25(2):139-146. doi:10.1080/08990220802131416.
  12. Vidovič M, Kafel T, Šuc L, Rugelj D, Weber D. Concurrent effect of supra-threshold TENS applied over tibialis anterior muscle decreases mediolateral sway of healthy young adults. Frontiers in Physiology. 2025;16:1567227. doi:10.3389/fphys.2025.1567227.
  13. Whittier TE, Weller ZD, Fling BW. I can step clearly now, the TENS is on: Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation decreases sensorimotor uncertainty during stepping movements. Sensors. 2022;22(14):5442. doi:10.3390/s22145442.
  14. Alenazy MS, Al-Jaafari R, Daneshgar S, Folkesson-Dey A, Enoka RM. Influence of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on the distance walked by older adults during the 6-min test of walking endurance. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 2023;73:102827. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2023.102827.
  15. Faul F, Erdfelder E, Buchner A, Lang AG. Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods. 2009;41(4):1149-1160. doi:10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149.
  16. Cohen J. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. 2nd ed. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988.
  17. Patel P, Green M, Tram J, et al. Latest advancements in transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and electronic muscle stimulation (EMS): Revisiting an established therapy with new possibilities. Journal of Pain Research. 2025; 18:137-153. doi:10.2147/JPR.S493162.
  18. Veale JF. Edinburgh Handedness Inventory–Short Form: A revised version based on confirmatory factor analysis. Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition. 2014;19(2):164-177. doi:10.1080/1357650X.2013.783045.
  19. Fess EE. Grip strength. In: Casanova JS, editor. Clinical Assessment Recommendations. 2nd ed. Chicago: American Society of Hand Therapists; 1992:41–45.
  20. Tiffin J, Asher EJ. The Purdue Pegboard: Norms and studies of reliability and validity. Journal of Applied Psychology. 1948;32(3):234-247. doi:10.1037/h0061266.
  21. Poo YS, Chai SC, Goh PI, Kadar M, Razaob Razab NA. The standardised Malay version of Purdue Pegboard Test: Content validity and test-retest reliability testing. Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2023;36(2):84-91. doi:10.1177/15691861231179012.
  22. McDonnell MN, Ridding MC. Afferent stimulation facilitates performance on a novel motor task. Experimental Brain Research. 2006;170(1):109-115. doi:10.1007/s00221-005-0192-x.
  23. Paillard T. Sensory electrical stimulation and postural balance: A comprehensive review. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2021;121(12):3261-3281. doi:10.1007/s00421-021-04767-5.