Table 2 Changes in functional capacity, serum biochemistry (albumin level), muscle strength, muscle circumference and body composition

Functional capacity

STS-60 (n)

Group 0.022

Time 0.962

Interaction 0.447

NMES

11

27.82 ± 9.49

29.50 (19.25–32.00)

28.09 ± 14.31

27.00 (21.00–32.00)

0.97%

NMES + VR

9

20.33 ± 5.59

22.00 (14.50–25.00)

22.89 ± 6.94

26.00 (14.50–27.50)

12.59%

control

11

18.00 ± 9.24

16.00 (13.00–27.00)

15.40 ± 9.28

18.00 (8.25–19.75)

-14.44%

Serum biochemistry

Serum albumin level (g/dl)

Interaction 0.008

NMES

12

4.10 ± 0.26

4.10 (4.00–4.35)

4.33 ± 0.45

4.35 (4.025–4.48)

0.030

5.61%

NMES + VR

9

3.99 ± 0.34

4.10 (3.65–4.30)

4.08 ± 0.35

4.00 (3.75–4.40)

0.347

2.26%

control

11

4.04 ± 0.40

4.10 (3.80–4.20)

3.71 ± 0.71

3.90 (3.60–4.00)

0.081

-8.17%

Group* (p value)

0.747

0.032

Muscle strength

QFM force right (kgf)

Group 0.807

Time 0.021

Interaction 0.082

NMES

7

13,30 ± 5,65

12.70 (9.10–19.80)

17,77 ± 3,27

18.30 (15.30–19.90)

33.61%

NMES + VR

7

14.05 ± 4.31

15.70 (10.30–16.66)

15.21 ± 6.09

14.20 (10.50–18.40)

8.26%

control

10

12.81 ± 3.75

10.90 (9.64–16.80)

12.98 ± 5.09

12.45 (9.53–17.18)

1.33%

QFM force left (kgf)

Interaction 0.026

NMES

7

14.26 ± 5.20

15.20 (10.10–17.86)

17.91 ± 3.61

17.80 (15.20–20.60)

0.059

25.60%

NMES + VR

7

15.75 ± 5.86

16.76 (11.70–18.73)

13.74 ± 4.71

13.10 (9.10–19.10)

0.130

-12.76%

control

10

11.07 ± 3.96

9.77 (8.09–15.85)

13.08 ± 3.19

13.95 (10.70–15.20)

0.132

18.16%

Group* (p value)

0.157

0.044

Muscle acircumference

QFM circumference right (cm)

Group 0.402

Time 0.090

Interaction 0.534

NMES

12

46.67 ± 7.45

44.50 (41.50–50.25)

44.54 ± 7.35

45.00 (39.13–46.00)

-4.56%

NMES + VR

9

42.72 ± 3.87

42.00 (38.75–46.00)

42.39 ± 3.66

43.00 (39.25–45.50)

-0.77%

control

11

43.68 ± 4.83

45.00 (38.00–47.00)

42.68 ± 5.34

44.00 (38.00–47.00)

-2.29%

QFM circumference left (cm)

Group 0.281

Time 0.291

Interaction 0.157

NMES

12

46.33 ± 6.29

46.00 (42.50–48.75)

44.88 ± 7.21

45.50 (38.88–47.00)

-3.13%

NMES + VR

9

42.06 ± 2.86

42.00 (39.00–44.50)

42.89 ± 3.68

44.00 (39.00–45.75)

1.97%

control

11

43.18 ± 4.21

43.00 (39.50–47.00)

42.23 ± 5.26

44.00 (39.00–45.00)

-2.20%

Body composition

Weight (kg)

Group 0.586

Time 0.684

Interaction 0.146

NMES

12

77.13 ± 22.54

73.75 (57.43–88.48)

77.66 ± 22.78

73.05 (58.73–89.33)

0.69%

NMES + VR

9

71.64 ± 13.61

68.30 (63.10–81.35)

71.81 ± 13.41

68.60 (63.20–80.95)

0.24%

control

11

70.86 ± 12.68

70.80 (62.70–76.60)

69.70 ± 12.24

71.10 (60.90–76.00)

-1.64%

BMI (kg/m²)

Group 0.160

Time 0.390

Interaction—(violation of equality test of covariance matrices)

NMES

12

25.69 ± 6.9

24.45 (21.00–28.68)

25.78 ± 6.93

24.30 (21.35–28.95)

0.35%

NMES + VR

9

24.61 ± 2.77

24.10 (23.10–26.45)

24.63 ± 2.81

24.10 (22.90–26.45)

0.08%

control

11

24.94 ± 4.08

24.90 (21.30–29.50)

24.60 ± 3.78

24.90 (21.07–28.00)

-1.36%

Fat proportion (%)

Group 0.821

Time 0.849

Interaction 0.373

NMES

7

31.54 ± 6.14

31.70 (24.45–36.40)

27.01 ± 7.32

29.30 (20.70–32.15)

-14.36%

NMES + VR

6

29.28 ± 4.54

28.30 (27.40–34.00)

33.65 ± 10.54

31.25 (27.78–38.23)

14.92%

control

9

29.49 ± 5.12

30.50 (25.70–31.90)

31.10 ± 12.86

33.20 (17.65–39.80)

5.46%

Muscle proportion (%)

No ANOVA no variance of homogeneity (If the variances are unequal. this can affect the Type I error rate.)

NMES

7

34.50 ± 3.34

33.80 (31.40–37.30)

37.93 ± 2.35

38.20 (37.35–39.05)

9.94%

NMES + VR

6

34.37 ± 1.42

34.70 (34.20–35.00)

34.15 ± 4.87

36.40 (28.58–37.45)

-0.64%

control

9

34.14 ± 2.17

33.95 (31.73–35.43)

32.61 ± 6.87

28.10 (27.20–41.05)

-4.48%

Water proportion (%)

Group 0.821

Time 0.966

Interaction 0.312

NMES

7

50.59 ± 4.55

50.50 (46.95–55.85)

53.94 ± 5.40

52.30 (50.15–58.60)

6.62%

NMES + VR

6

52.27 ± 3.34

53.00 (48.50–53.70)

49.90 ± 5.73

50.75 (47.00–53.33)

-4.53%

control

9

53.17 ± 3.77

52.75 (51.05–55.40)

51.98 ± 8.73

53.60 (42.95–60.85)

-2.24%