What effect does using a higher duty cycle have during electrical stimulation?

Using a higher duty cycle during electrical stimulation ensures that the tissue is always stimulated because it increases the proportion of time the electrical current is on compared to when it is off. A duty cycle is defined as the ratio of the 'on' time to the total cycle time, including both 'on' and 'off' periods. When the duty cycle is increased, the duration of electrical stimulation during each cycle becomes longer, which means that the muscle or tissue is continuously being activated for a greater portion of the time.

This approach can be particularly useful in therapeutic settings where a consistent stimulus is required to achieve certain outcomes, such as muscle contraction, pain relief, or improving blood flow. A higher duty cycle can lead to muscle fatigue if used excessively, but in controlled therapeutic contexts, it is effective for sustained stimulation.

In contrast, a lower duty cycle would mean that there are more periods when the current is off, which may not provide the same level of stimulation and could result in less effective treatment outcomes. Other options, while they relate to different concepts in electrical stimulation, do not accurately describe the direct effect of a higher duty cycle.