TENS for Aging Hands

Overseen By Mélanie Henry, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Colorado, Boulder

Must not be taking: Muscle relaxants

Disqualifiers: Cognitive impairment, Neurological disorders, Diabetes, Hypertension, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how a non-invasive treatment called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can improve hand dexterity in older adults. By combining TENS with practice, researchers aim to enhance the brain's ability to control hand muscles, potentially helping maintain independence as people age. The study includes different groups based on how quickly participants improve at tasks, testing TENS alone or paired with practice exercises. The trial seeks individuals aged 54 to 89 who live independently and have no major health issues affecting their muscles or nerves. As an unphased trial, participants can contribute to groundbreaking research that could enhance the quality of life for older adults.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

If you are currently taking medications that affect muscle and nerve function, like carisoprodol or cyclobenzaprine, you may need to stop them to participate in this trial.

What prior data suggests that this TENS device is safe for aging hands?

Research has shown that TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) is generally safe and easy to use. Most people tolerate it well, with minor skin irritation at the electrode sites being the main issue. This irritation resembles a mild allergic reaction and is usually not serious.

TENS is already used to relieve pain in other conditions, indicating its safety for people. However, limited information exists on its effectiveness in improving movement. Despite this, TENS has a strong safety record. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for aging hands because it offers a non-invasive way to potentially improve hand function. Unlike standard treatments that might involve medications or physical therapy, TENS uses electrical impulses to stimulate nerves, which could enhance muscle control and hand dexterity. This method is unique as it pairs electrical stimulation with specific exercises, possibly speeding up improvements in tasks requiring steady hand movements. Such an approach might provide quicker and more effective relief for individuals struggling with age-related hand function decline.

What evidence suggests that TENS is effective for improving motor function in aging hands?

Research has shown that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can improve nerve and muscle function. In this trial, participants will join different groups to evaluate TENS effects. One study arm will focus on pegboard time to assess hand coordination improvements. Another arm will involve force-steadiness practice, with participants performing tasks either alone (sham) or paired with TENS. Previous studies have found that TENS and similar treatments help muscles adjust, reduce pain, and improve skills like fingertip grip and hand strength. These early results suggest that TENS might enhance hand coordination in older adults by improving nerve and muscle function. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Roger M Enoka, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Colorado, Boulder

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for community-dwelling men and women aged 54-89 who can consent, read, write, and speak English. They must be able to travel to the Boulder campus on their own.

Inclusion Criteria

Participants must be able to read, write, and speak English to ensure safe participation in the project

I can arrange my own travel to Boulder campus.

I am between 54 and 89 years old and can make my own health decisions.

Exclusion Criteria

I do not have chronic pain that would stop me from joining the study.

I do not have any mental health conditions that would prevent me from understanding or participating fully in the study.

I was hospitalized or had to stay in bed recently.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Familiarization

Participants undergo an initial familiarization session with the Grooved Pegboard Test

1 session

1 visit (in-person)

Training

Participants complete three training sessions performing force-steadiness tasks with or without TENS

2 weeks

3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after training

2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Trial Overview

The study tests how hand muscle control in older adults can improve with practice and somatosensory stimulation using TENS. It aims to find ways to enhance manual dexterity through non-invasive methods.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Pegboard time Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will be assigned to a group of slow or fast improvers based on the decrease in pegboard time after an initial familiarization session.

Group II: Force-steadiness practice Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will complete three training sessions in which they perform force-steadiness tasks either alone (sham) or paired with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). One-half of the participants in each improver group will be to each of these practice groups.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Colorado, Boulder

Lead Sponsor

Trials

128

Recruited

29,600+

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11733168/

Latest Advancements in Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve ...

TENS and Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) are non-invasive therapies widely used for pain relief and neuromuscular adaptation.

2.

journals.plos.org

journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0283321

The effectiveness of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy ...

Improvement of the hand functions of the rESWT group was 3.8 times in FMA-UL (95% CI 19.549 to 22.602) and 5.5 times in ARAT (95% CI 22.453 to ...

3.

nature.com

nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02940-9

Non-invasive spinal cord electrical stimulation for arm and ...

Secondary endpoint analysis revealed significant improvements in fingertip pinch force, hand prehension and strength, upper extremity motor and ...

4.

frontiersin.org

frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1556506/full

Effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation ...

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TENS in improving cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairment.

5.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876382019300344

The effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on ...

Recent clinical evidence showed neuromuscular electrical stimulation improved clinical outcomes except for cognitive functions in dementia patients [75,76].

6.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7401682/

What is the effectiveness and adverse event data ...

Data were limited and the quality of evidence was very low, indicating that it is not possible to draw a conclusion whether TENS is effective, when used as an ...

7.

physio-pedia.com

physio-pedia.com/Transcutaneous_Electrical_Nerve_Stimulation_(TENS)

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

TENS, as a treatment technique, is noninvasive and has few side effects when compared with drug therapy. The most common complaint is an allergic type skin ...

8.

clinicaltrials.gov

clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03148106

Hand Rehabilitation Study for Stroke Patients

The purpose of this study is to find out what are the best settings for applying electrical nerve stimulation over the skin for the short-term improvement of ...

9.

southcarolinablues.com

southcarolinablues.com/web/public/brands/medicalpolicyhb/external-policies/transcutaneous-electrical-nerve-stimulation-tens/

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

Efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for acute and chronic pain in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 381 ...