13/09/2021
If you’re looking for ways to optimise your sporting performance, you may have heard about electrical muscle stimulation (EMS).
EMS essentially stimulates the nerves and induces muscle contractions, mimicking the way your muscles contract during a workout.
Unlike TENS which is primarily used for pain management, an EMS device is used as a performance enhancing tool by athletes at all levels.
Here are 5 ways amongst many more In EMS can be beneficial to you:
1️⃣Preserves Muscle Mass - Helps to reduce the amount of Muscle wastage (atrophy) after a surgery in which the joint will have to be stabilised. Like a torn ACL, or broken Tibia. Preserving muscle mass can be extremely difficult while incapacitated, but essential to recovery.👨🏼🦽
2️⃣Accelerates injury recovery - Incredibly, electrical muscle stimulation has been shown to speed up recovery from a nerve injury.
A small scale study demonstrated how the nerve cells that would naturally regenerate, actually regenerated faster following EMS treatment. 🔋DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.10.052
3️⃣IMPROVES SPORTING PERFORMANCE - based on 89 separate studies, found that EMS enhanced physical performance. Significant improvements were seen in speed, force, strength and power of the trained and elite athletes studied. 🏆DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31823f2cd1
4️⃣IMPROVES COSMETIC MUSCLE TONE but more importantly OFFERS RELIEF FROM CRAMPS. The number of cramps experienced after a period of EMS was 78% lower than before the treatment, with the severity of their cramps also significantly reduced.🏋🏽♀️
5️⃣Reduced inflamation and fluid build up: With lifestyles becoming increasingly sedentary, fluid build up can be a problem for many people. EMS has been shown to be effective in reducing fluid build up for those sitting for long periods of time.🧎🏽
