Pain Relief from EMS

EMS is Electro Muscle Stimulation. 

Luigi Galvani (1791) provided the first scientific evidence that current can activate muscle. During the 19th and 20th century researchers studied and documented the exact electrical properties that generate muscle movement.

It was discovered that the body functions induced by electrical stimulation caused long-term changes in the muscles.

Recent medical physiology research pinpointed the mechanisms by which electrical stimulation alters cells of muscles, blood vessels and nerves.

Theory

EMS causes adaptation, i.e. training, of muscle fibers. Because of the characteristics of skeletal muscle fibers, different types of fibers can be activated to differing degrees by different types of EMS, and the modifications induced depend on the pattern of EMS activity. These patterns, referred to as protocols or programs, will cause a different response from contraction of different fiber types. Some programs will improve fatigue resistance, i.e. endurance, others will increase force production.

Use

EMS can be used both as a training and a therapeutic tool.

In medicine EMS is used for rehabilitation purposes, for instance in the prevention of disuse muscle atrophy. However, this should not be confused with TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator): the use of electric current in pain therapy.

Because of the effect that strengthened and toned muscles have on appearance (a stronger muscle has larger cross-section, EMS is also used by a niche of practitioners for aesthetics goals. The FDA regularly reject certification of devices that make these claims. The rationale of this rejection is that most manufacturers make claims of fat burning and weight loss. However, EMS devices cause a calorie burning that is marginal at best: calories are burnt in significant amount only when most of the body is involved in physical exercise: several muscles, the heart and the respiratory system are all engaged. This is not the case with EMS in which training is target to few muscular groups at the same time, for specific training goals.

The effectiveness of the devices for these uses has been debated but a few home devices have survived some scientific scrutiny for their advertised uses. Since the mid-1990s, wearable units in which EMS circuitry is contained in belt-like garments, neoprene shorts or other clothing items, have been present in the consumer market.