Effect of PEMF on Muscle Oxygenation during Cycling: A Single-Blind Controlled Pilot Study

Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) are used as non-invasive tools to enhance microcirculation and tissue oxygenation, with a modulatory influence on the microvasculature. This study aimed to measure the acute effect of PEMF on muscle oxygenation and its influence on pulmonary oxygen kinetics during exercise. Eighteen male cyclists performed, on different days, a constant-load exercise in both active (ON) and inactive (OFF) PEMF stimulations while deoxyhemoglobin and pulmonary oxygen kinetics, total oxygenation index, and blood lactate were collected. PEMF enhanced muscle oxygenation, with higher values of deoxyhemoglobin both at the primary component and at the steady-state level. Moreover, PEMF accelerated deoxyhemoglobin on-transition kinetic, with a shorter time delay, time constant, and mean response time than the OFF condition. Lactate concentration was higher during stimulation. No differences were found for total oxygenation index and pulmonary oxygen kinetics. Local application of a precise PEMF stimulation can increase the rate of the muscle O2 extraction and utilization. These changes were not accompanied by faster oxygen kinetics, reduced oxygen slow component, or reduced blood lactate level. It seems that oxygen consumption is more influenced by exercise involving large muscle mass like cycling, whereas PEMF might only act at the local level.