How Can An Electronic Muscle Stimulator Help Your Muscles
April 23, 2010 by Adriana Noton
Filed under Fitness
An Electronic Muscle Stimulator or EMS has been used in hospitals, clinics and physical rehabilitation centers for more than 40 years. They are typically used as a form of therapy with the help of a medical professional. It is used regularly by physical therapist in helping to keep a muscle active until the patient is able to move it themselves. There are some also available for use at home.
Before purchasing one for home be sure it has a safety approval from your country’s regulatory body. Those that are unregulated are not necessarily unsafe but some have been reported to have given people shocks and bruises. Whether this is due to the unit or lack of following directions is not clear. Those with a safety recommendation will ensure you are completely safe when using the unit.
The EMS is frequently used on patients who have had serious injury, major surgery or stroke. When there is temporary or permanent loss of muscle movement a unit is used to keep the muscle working and stimulated. If there is muscle atrophy it will be used to keep the muscle from weakening.
It is used to prevent muscle atrophy for those who have had long-term immobility, or a neuro muscular disease and are unable to use their muscles. If a patient has had a stroke, major surgery or any serious injury that impairs muscle function an electronic muscle stimulator may be used to rehabilitate muscles.
The units for home use and medical use are not the same. The higher intensity is best left in professional hands. If there is serious injury to the muscle a higher frequency may be required than can be found on a home machine. The patient is started with a low frequency until they are used to it then it is slowly increased. When the patient is comfortable and knows how the contraction of their muscle should feel a home use unit may be given to them.
These units come in various sizes depending on their intended use. There is usually a digital display to show what frequency is in use. There are some that will allow you to lock in a frequency to make sure there is a consistent flow to the area. Electrodes are placed on each side of the muscle being addressed. The ones used to improve the abdominals may be attached to a belt that wraps around them. The current stimulates nerves to imitate natural movement of muscles. The muscle is then repeatedly contracted and relaxed.
Stimulators are used by sports coaches and athletes in general. This is not only for rehabilitation purposes but to make muscles respond faster, and increase the strength and endurance of them as well. Although it can help an athlete recover from an injury faster. There are some stimulators that are promoted to help tone, firm and help define muscles. In conjunction with regular exercise this is certainly true and can be used when exercise is not possible.
The elderly benefit from the use of an electronic muscle stimulator as it will increase oxygen and circulation to the muscles. This will tone them and increase endurance and with better muscle tone you have stronger bones. However the unit is used it can increase overall quality of life.
The electronic muscle stimulator is extremely useful for medical rehabilitation and physical therapy. One specialized ESM product that stands out is the Russian Stim. Known for its pain relief and minimum disturbance, the Russian Stim is a popular technique among many Asian countries.














