Abstract

Posttetanic potentiation  (PTP)  was induced by means of the electrical stimulator unit Compex Sport  3 on triceps brachiali of  9 team handball players of an intermediate competitive level. By means of a intra subject design or of repeated measures the magnitude of the PTP was evaluated at 5 pre-established moments (5 s, 30 s, 60 s, 180 s, 300 s) after the cessation of the percutaneous electrical stimulation (PES). The magnitude of the PTP was measured by extensions of the triceps and by use of the dynanometer Isocontrol Dinámico 3.0.  This dynanometer measured the descriptions of the mechanical efficiency of the selected gesture: maximum power (Pmáx) and the time necessary to reach it (Tpmáx). It was observed that the Pmáx did not increase significantly in the potentiated state although slight changes were observed (P = 0.057). On the contrary, the Tpmáx decreased significantly1 during the potentiated state. In addition, there existed a siginificant difference (P<0.05) between the value of the Tpmáx in non-potentiated state (P0) and the value of the Tpmáx in potentiated state at the moments T1, T4 and T5. The data indicate that the PTP caused an improvement in the mechanical efficiency of the specific gesture.