Reliability of transcranial magnetic stimulation measurements of maximum activation of the knee extensors in young adult males

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) provides an indication of changes occurring in the corticospinal pathway. This study aimed to determine between-day (trials 1 week apart) and within-day h reliability TMS peripheral nerve stimulation. 22 male participants (age 23 ± 4 years; height 1.80 0.07 m; body mass 75.1 11.7 kg; index 23.1 2.5 kg.m−2) completed 2 familiarisation sessions 3 experimental trials (trial split by h). The interpolated twitch technique was used TMS-assessed voluntary activations (VA-TMS) superimposed on submaximal maximal leg extension performed a custom-built dynamometer. Reliability assessed using equivalence tests, systematic error, 95% limits agreement, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) variation (CV). VA-TMS equivalent (94.1 4.4% versus 93.7 4.9%, P < 0.01) (93.7 4.9% 4.8%, 0.01). Systematic error (95% agreement) for −0.5% (−5.1%, 4.2%) − 0.0% (−5.3%, 5.4%) within-day. ICC CV values demonstrated high (ICC = 0.93, 2.5%) 0.92, 2.9%). Results indicate that can reliably estimate output motor cortex knee extensors, both findings have been sample sizes this future research.