A denervated muscle is stimulated for the purpose of slowing down degenerative phenomena, that is, the irreversible transformation of the contractile part (muscle fiber) intofibrous tissue, while trying to keep the metabolic processes associated with contraction active, albeit reduced.

Electrostimulation should be performed daily for as long as necessary for nerve regeneration; it should not be practiced in the form of cycles.

Electrotherapy should produce vigorous muscle contractions, but should not fatigue the muscle. The parameters of electrostimulation should always be dictated by the electrodiagnostic examination, which will be repeated several times (usually once a month) so as to adapt the parameters to the new situation.

To make a denervated muscle contract selectively, both electrodes must be placed on the muscle belly; isolated pulses of sufficiently long duration (at least 50 msec) must be used to stimulate muscle fibers directly. If the muscle is totally denervated, long-duration rectangular pulses can be used; if it is partially denervated, triangular or exponential pulses can be used to exclude the nerve fibers of innervated muscles that, because of their accommodative power, are not depolarized.