Resumen:
Objective: To study the effect of 14 weeks of electromyostimulation (EMS) training (47 minutes/day, 5 days/ week) on both muscle and bone loss prevention in persons with recent, complete spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: Prospective, experimental, controlled, single-blind randomized trial with external blind evaluation by third parties. Methods: Eight men with recent SCI (8 weeks from injury; ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) "A") were randomized into the intervention or the control groups. Cross-sectional area of the quadriceps femoris (QF) muscle was quantified using magnetic resonance imaging. Bone mineral density changes were assessed with a dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry. Several bone biomarkers (i.e. total testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, insulin-growth factor I, osteocalcin, serum type I collagen C-telopeptide), lipid, and lipoprotein profiles were quantified. A standard oral glucose tolerance test was performed before and after the 14-week training. All analyses were conducted at the beginning and after the intervention. Results: The intervention group showed a significant increase in QF muscle size when compared with the control group. Bone losses were similar in both groups. Basal lev...