[Purpose] The aim of the study was to establish whether pulsating electrostatic field application, shown to increase blood flow and metabolic activity and to function as an
ion pump, is able to reduce
muscle pain after exercise-induced muscle damage. [Subjects and Methods] Seven participants (4 males, 3 females) performed two sessions of downhill running separated by at least 4 weeks. After the running sessions, participants were either treated for 45 min with a pulsating electrostatic field (field intensity, 9000 V; current, <9 mA; frequency, 50 Hz) or a
sham treatment. The order of the intervention was random, and the condition was blinded for the participants.
Muscle soreness score,
creatine kinase, and jump ability were assessed before and up to 48 hours after running. [Results] Twenty-four and 48 hours after the downhill running, the
muscle soreness score tended to be less increased after pulsating electrostatic field administration when compared with the
sham setting (changes in
muscle soreness score: 3.7±1.6 vs. 5.7±2.2 after 24 h and 3.1±2.0 vs. 5.4±3.2 after 48 h, respectively). No further differences were detected. [Conclusion] The outcomes show that a pulsating electrostatic field might be a promising treatment to reduce
muscle soreness after exercise-induced muscle damage. However, further studies are needed to confirm the present outcomes and to establish the mechanism by which a pulsating electrostatic field may reduce
muscle pain.