EMS, High-Frequency Fatigue and Pain, Particularly Headaches & Back Pain

I needed a break from fasting papers and, while I’m a big, BIG fan of EMS, and to a substantially lesser extent TENS, I am underwhelmed by high “kilohertz-frequency” alternating type currents as is commonly used in Russian stimulation for strength and interferential currents (IFC), sometimes used for both strength and pain. However, I thought … Read more

Carbonized Rubber Electrodes Best for EMS & TENS

Factors influencing quadriceps femoris muscle torque using transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation.Physical Therapy. 1991 Oct;71(10):715-21; discussion 722-3. Lieber RL, Kelly MJ. Abstract Quadriceps femoris muscle torque was measured in 40 subjects during transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Three different electrode types (carbonized rubber, sponge, and adhesive) were used on each subject, permitting determination of the factors … Read more

Notes from My Year of Electric Muscle Stimulation

“My own results have been so favorable that I am not interesting in debating whether or not EMS works but rather in optimizing the use of EMS in the training of elite athletes.” Charlie Francis About August or September of 2013 I got really interested in the capabilities of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) for strengthening. … Read more

Electrical Stimulation for Paraplegia (Good News and Bad)

Muscle biopsies show that FES of denervated muscles reverses human muscle degeneration from permanent spinal motoneuron lesion. Kern H, Rossini K, Carraro U, Mayr W, Vogelauer M, Hoellwarth U, Hofer C.  J Rehabil Res Dev. 2005 May-Jun;42(3 Suppl 1):43-53. AbstractThis paper presents biopsy analyses in support of the clinical evidence of muscle recovery induced by … Read more

Electric Stim to Prevent DVTs After Total Hip Replacement

Haemodynamic performance of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) during recovery from total hip arthroplasty. Broderick BJ, Breathnach O, Condon F, Masterson E, Ólaighin G. J Orthop Surg Res. 2013 Mar 5;8:3. AbstractBACKGROUND:Patients post total hip arthroplasty (THA) remain at high risk of developing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) during the recovery period following surgery despite the availability of … Read more