Muscle cooling and motor unit firing in the quadriceps
Effects of Muscle Cooling on Motor Unit Firing of the Quadriceps: A Pilot Feasibility Study
This pilot will test whether cooling the thigh changes how quadriceps motor units fire in healthy adults aged 18–35.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 24 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Wake Forest University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) |
| Trial ID | NCT07381920 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized cross-over pilot will enroll 24 healthy adults (12 men, 12 women) aged 18–35. Participants will attend two in-person laboratory visits at least 48 hours apart, with the first visit for consent, eligibility confirmation, baseline assessments, and familiarization and the second for experimental testing. High-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) will record quadriceps motor unit firing under thermoneutral and locally cooled conditions, with condition order randomized. The aim is to establish feasibility and methodological validity and to generate preliminary data to inform a larger, hypothesis-driven trial.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy men and women aged 18–35 with no significant acute or chronic medical conditions who can attend two in-person lab visits.
Not a fit: People with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neuromuscular disorders, impaired peripheral circulation (including Raynaud's phenomenon), or other listed exclusions will not qualify and are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could help refine how local cooling is used in rehabilitation to influence muscle activation and guide therapies for neuromuscular or orthopedic care.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows cooling can alter nerve conduction and muscle performance, but applying HDsEMG to characterize quadriceps motor unit behavior under cooled versus thermoneutral conditions is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women between the ages of 18 and 35 years * Healthy adults, defined as absence of significant acute/chronic medical condition, injury, and/or illness that may compromise subject safety, limit the ability of the participant to complete the study, and/or compromise the objectives of the study as determined by the Principal Investigator. Exclusion Criteria: * Current diagnosis or history of: * major metabolic disease (e.g., type I and type II diabetes), * neuromuscular disease (e.g., cervical spondylotic radiculomyelopathy, lumbar spondylosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and acquired demyelinating polyneuropathies), * cardiovascular disease (e.g., stage II hypertension, heart failure, myocardial infarction/ischemia, peripheral vascular disease, Raynaud's phenomenon, or other conditions associated with impaired peripheral circulation), * significant myocardial or pericardial diseases (e.g. amyloidosis, constriction), * moderate or severe valvular disease, * pulmonary/respiratory disease (e.g., asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), * cancer, * renal disease, * liver disease, * or anemia. * Current or recent musculoskeletal injury (e.g. fracture, sprain, dislocation) or any physical disability that precludes safe and adequate testing. * Pregnancy or breastfeeding. * Thigh circumference greater than 23 inches * Mid-thigh skinfold thickness greater 40 mm
Where this trial is running
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Department of Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University — Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Eliott Arroyo, PhD
- Email: arroyoe@wfu.edu
- Phone: 336-758-5847
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.