• Magnetic stimulation combined with exercise therapy significantly improves maximum voluntary contraction and reduces the difference rate between affected and healthy limbs in patients with disuse muscle atrophy after Achilles tendon rupture.
• The combined intervention significantly enhances gait speed parameters, including Timed Up and Go test, 5-times sit-to-stand test, and 6 m normal walking speed.
• The improvements in muscle strength and gait speed in the magnetic stimulation group were significantly greater than those in the control group, indicating an auxiliary synergistic effect.
• Low-frequency pulsed magnetic stimulation (1.5 mT, 3 300 Hz) is a safe, non-invasive adjunct to exercise rehabilitation for disuse muscle atrophy.