Comfort, consistency, and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trial

Abstract The efficacy and comfort of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) largely depend on the type of electrodes used. Traditional self-adhesive hydrogel electrodes, while effective, pose limitations in terms of wearability, skin compatibility, and reusability. This randomized crossover tri...

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Main Authors: Ehsan Jafari, Maël Descollonges, Gaëlle Deley, Julie Di Marco, Lana Popovic-Maneski, Amine Metani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91452-8
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author Ehsan Jafari
Maël Descollonges
Gaëlle Deley
Julie Di Marco
Lana Popovic-Maneski
Amine Metani
author_facet Ehsan Jafari
Maël Descollonges
Gaëlle Deley
Julie Di Marco
Lana Popovic-Maneski
Amine Metani
author_sort Ehsan Jafari
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The efficacy and comfort of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) largely depend on the type of electrodes used. Traditional self-adhesive hydrogel electrodes, while effective, pose limitations in terms of wearability, skin compatibility, and reusability. This randomized crossover trial investigates the performance of a specific textile electrode integrated into garments for NMES of lower extremities, focusing on their potential rehabilitative applications for patients with neurological disorders such as stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), and spinal cord injury (SCI). In this randomized crossover design, ten healthy subjects participated in the study. Each subject performed isometric knee extension exercises using both textile and hydrogel electrodes in random order. The electrodes were compared in terms of comfort, temporal consistency, stimulation efficiency, and electrical impedance under isometric conditions. Our findings revealed no significant difference between the two types of electrodes across all evaluated parameters. Textile electrodes, used after applying moisturizing lotion to enhance the electrode-skin interface, demonstrated comparable levels of comfort, consistency, and efficiency to hydrogel electrodes. The equivalence of textile and hydrogel electrodes, coupled with the advantages of washability and reusability, positions textile electrodes as a promising alternative for NMES applications, particularly in rehabilitation settings.
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spelling doaj-art-dda1189b68e241309c0eb2b3f9405b0d2025-08-20T03:00:39ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111710.1038/s41598-025-91452-8Comfort, consistency, and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trialEhsan Jafari0Maël Descollonges1Gaëlle Deley2Julie Di Marco3Lana Popovic-Maneski4Amine Metani5Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, Laboratoire de PhysiqueKurageINSERM UMR 1093 – Laboratoire CAPS, UFR des Sciences du Sport, Université de BourgogneCenter of Rehabilitation Val Rosay, Saint Didier au Mont d’orKurageUniversité de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, Laboratoire de PhysiqueAbstract The efficacy and comfort of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) largely depend on the type of electrodes used. Traditional self-adhesive hydrogel electrodes, while effective, pose limitations in terms of wearability, skin compatibility, and reusability. This randomized crossover trial investigates the performance of a specific textile electrode integrated into garments for NMES of lower extremities, focusing on their potential rehabilitative applications for patients with neurological disorders such as stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), and spinal cord injury (SCI). In this randomized crossover design, ten healthy subjects participated in the study. Each subject performed isometric knee extension exercises using both textile and hydrogel electrodes in random order. The electrodes were compared in terms of comfort, temporal consistency, stimulation efficiency, and electrical impedance under isometric conditions. Our findings revealed no significant difference between the two types of electrodes across all evaluated parameters. Textile electrodes, used after applying moisturizing lotion to enhance the electrode-skin interface, demonstrated comparable levels of comfort, consistency, and efficiency to hydrogel electrodes. The equivalence of textile and hydrogel electrodes, coupled with the advantages of washability and reusability, positions textile electrodes as a promising alternative for NMES applications, particularly in rehabilitation settings.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91452-8
spellingShingle Ehsan Jafari
Maël Descollonges
Gaëlle Deley
Julie Di Marco
Lana Popovic-Maneski
Amine Metani
Comfort, consistency, and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trial
Scientific Reports
title Comfort, consistency, and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trial
title_full Comfort, consistency, and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trial
title_fullStr Comfort, consistency, and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trial
title_full_unstemmed Comfort, consistency, and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trial
title_short Comfort, consistency, and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trial
title_sort comfort consistency and efficiency of garments with textile electrodes versus hydrogel electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation in a randomized crossover trial
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91452-8
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