Electric muscle stimulation (EMS) is a safe and highly efficient way to improve overall physical performance. By sending mild electrical pulses throughout the body, EMS aims to mimic the signals naturally coming from your nervous system.
Specifically targeting muscles, these signals cause repeated contractions that improve blood flow, aid in repair after injury, or even “train” the body to respond to stimulants properly, thus being helpful when it comes to restoring motor functions. Electrical signals can also be used to target nerves, by blocking pain receptors and helping with pain management.
Apart from these incredible advantages, here are just some of the wonderful benefits of EMS for your overall health:
Building muscle strength
EMS has long been considered an efficient tool for building muscle. For instance, Russians have conducted studies on highly trained athletes as far back as the ‘80s, finding that participants saw overall improvements in strength between 30% and 40%. Since then, a number of different researches have confirmed these findings, claiming that EMS therapy increases muscle strength and size, particularly when combined with other fitness activities. Evidently, EMS is one of the most efficient ways to achieve the ideal muscle tone and power.
Aiding in weight management
In America, however, EMS has often been used as a great weight loss and management tool. As energy expenditure is crucial for controlling weight, being responsible for 60% to 75% of calories burnt every day, electrical stimulation might help to increase this expenditure, thus leading to loss of body fat, reduced cellulite, and even decreased abdominal obesity. However, it’s important to note that EMS treatments alone won’t necessarily lead to significant changes, as they are most efficient when combined with additional weight loss programs.
Improving sporting performance
On the other hand, Australians have found that EMS can be a great tool for improving physical performance. Apart from building muscle tone and strength, and helping with weight loss, EMS has also been shown to enhance sporting performance by improving the force, power, speed, and strength of athletes. For that reason, Australians often opt for EMS in Melbourne for their fitness needs. Whether they wish to boost their metabolism, engage their muscles, or reduce body fat, these professional, personalized programs allow them to effortlessly achieve their athletic goals.
Increasing range of motion
When applied to different areas of the body, electric muscle stimulation can have incredibly positive results when it comes to increasing the range of motion. While this method is most commonly used among athletes suffering from joint stiffness in an effort to improve physical performance, it could also benefit individuals suffering from arthritis or muscle atrophy in a similar manner. Furthermore, research has also shown EMS can help to restore the range of motion following a stroke, thus being quite an important tool for patient recovery as well.
Helping with injury recovery
Another way EMS is commonly utilized is also for accelerating recovery after sustaining an injury. As the contractions that occur during electrical stimulation strengthen the muscles, it might help to speed up the recovery time after a muscle injury, or even aid in strengthening the muscles surrounding injured joints and bones, consequently reducing pain and soreness. According to a small-scale study, EMS might also be beneficial in accelerating the recovery after a nerve injury, as the nerve cells that naturally regenerate after such occurrences could potentially regenerate more quickly with the help of an EMS treatment.
Offering efficient pain relief
Apart from reducing pain caused by physical injuries, electric muscle stimulation could also be advantageous for various forms of pain relief. For instance, EMS can have an overwhelmingly positive effect on reducing the occurrence of muscle cramps, as well as subsequent pain. Some articles even suggest EMS might prevent pressure sores, common issues for individuals bound to beds, wheelchairs, and other equipment that causes constant pressure to be applied to the same areas of the body. However, the sample size used in this research was quite small, meaning that further studies might be needed to prove this theory.
From improving muscle strength and sporting performance to aiding in recovery and pain relief, electric muscle stimulation evidently has a wide array of uses and advantages for our overall health. And with research continuing to be conducted in this field, EMS will hopefully prove to be even more beneficial.