Which is the typical duration recommended for reciprocal inhibition NMES?

• A. ~10mins
• B. ~5mins
• C. ~20mins
• D. ~30mins

Answer: (A)

Reciprocal inhibition NMES works by activating the antagonist muscle so its contraction engages spinal inhibitory circuits that dampen the overactive spastic muscle. A bout of electrical stimulation around ten minutes is typically used because it provides enough neural activation to trigger those inhibitory pathways without causing excessive fatigue. Shorter durations, like five minutes, may not reliably produce the inhibitory effect, while longer sessions—twenty to thirty minutes—tend to increase fatigue and discomfort without adding proportional benefit. So about ten minutes hits the balance between generating the neural inhibition you want and keeping the patient comfortable and able to continue with therapy.