Can a needle and a zap boost athletic performance? a trial puts five nerve-stimulation patterns to the test.
NCT ID NCT07719179
First seen Jul 22, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This crossover trial tests whether ultrasound-guided electrical nerve stimulation can temporarily improve leg strength, jump height, and squat speed in healthy amateur athletes aged 18–30. Each participant receives five different stimulation patterns (including a placebo) in random order, with two-week breaks between sessions. The goal is to find out which pattern, if any, produces measurable changes in muscle performance.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) with different pulse patterns
- What this could lead to
- If one pattern clearly outperforms others, it could point toward a drug-free way to temporarily enhance strength and power in athletes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial in healthy volunteers. Any performance boost may be small, short-lived, or not reproducible outside the lab.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
RECRUITINGSant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, 08195, Spain
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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