Effects of Percutaneous Neuromodulation on Vertical Jump

This study arises from the growing interest in exploring new therapeutic tools that canoptimize neuromuscular function and physical performance through minimally invasivephysiotherapy techniques. Among these, ultrasound‐guided percutaneous neuromodulation(PNM‐e) has recently gained attention as a procedure that enables direct electricalstimulation of peripheral nerves or motor points via a needle under ultrasound guidance.Previous research has shown that PNM‐e can provide clinical benefits such as painreduction, improved balance, and increased muscle strength. However, scientific evidenceregarding its effects on sports performance remains limited.The femoral nerve, which innervates the quadriceps femoris, plays a crucial role in kneeextension and hip flexion‐movements essential for generating power during verticaljumping and other dynamic lower‐limb actions. Recent studies suggest that electricalstimulation of this nerve may produce immediate increases in maximal quadriceps strengthand vertical jump height in athletes. These findings form the rationale for the presentstudy, which hypothesizes that femoral nerve neuromodulation could enhance neuromuscularperformance by selectively activating fast‐twitch muscle fibers and reducing neuralinhibition.Unlike conventional methods such as surface electrostimulation or standard plyometrictraining, PNM‐e provides precise and localized neuromuscular modulation, targetingspecific neural structures under ultrasound control. This level of precision allows asafe and reproducible motor response, potentially translating into functional gains inathletic performance.The main objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of ultrasound‐guidedpercutaneous neuromodulation of the femoral nerve on vertical jump performance. Asecondary objective was to compare the outcomes of isolated plyometric training versusthe combined intervention (PNM‐e plus plyometric training), to determine whether thecombination produces superior improvements.A randomized, experimental study was conducted with healthy physically active youngathletes. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group (plyometric trainingonly) or to an experimental group (plyometric training plus two sessions of PNM‐e, oneweek apart).Vertical jump performance was assessed using the countermovement jump (CMJ) test,recorded and analyzed with the MyJump 2 mobile application, a validated tool formeasuring jump parameters such as height, flight time, velocity, and power. Assessmentswere performed at two time points: before the first intervention and after the secondintervention (7 days after the first intervention).The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Universidad CEU San Pablo (code 1023‐25TFM) and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All participantsprovided written informed consent after receiving detailed information about theprocedures, risks, and benefits, and were free to withdraw at any time.It is expected that the combination of ultrasound‐guided femoral nerve neuromodulationand plyometric training will enhance neuromuscular efficiency and lead to significantimprovements in jump performance compared to plyometric training alone.This study aims to provide preliminary evidence on the potential of percutaneousneuromodulation as an adjunctive intervention for optimizing muscle performance andathletic function. The findings may contribute to the growing field of invasivephysiotherapy by expanding its applications beyond rehabilitation toward performanceenhancement. Ultimately, this research could inform future large‐scale studies exploringthe use of neuromodulation as a targeted and safe method to improve motor performance inboth clinical and athletic populations.