Changes

Electrical Muscle Stimulation

7 bytes added, 14:07, 15 April 2013
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* '''Does not cause discomfort.''' EMS is generally well tolerated and does not cause discomfort<ref name="EMSBrod11"/>. (EMS units have intensity controls, and increasing the intensity too high can be painful.)
* '''Does Increase strength. '''Many studies have shown that EMS can increase strength<ref name="EMSBroch05"/><ref name="EMSMaff00"/><ref name="EMSGond05"/><ref name="EMSMaff01"/><ref name="EMSMart93"/>. For instance one study showed an increase in quad strength by over 20% in untrained subjects<ref name="EMSStrength1983"/>. (As an aside, this study trained only one leg with EMS, and the other untrained leg gained 15% strength. This effect, where training one limb increases the strength in the other, has been known about since at least 1894 and is called the Contralateral Strength Training Effect<ref name="EMSCarr06"/>. )
* '''Does Increase [[Muscle|Muscle Recruitment]]. '''Studies indicate that EMS increases muscular recruitment and that this may be the underlying mechanism for some of the strength gains<ref name="EMSGond05"/><ref name="EMSMaff01"/><ref name="EMSMart93"/><ref name="EMSRecruitment"/>.
* '''Does Increase Blood flow.''' EMS can increase the flow of blood to a muscle<ref name="EMSZico95"/><ref name="EMSBrod11"/>. (Lower frequencies of around 7-9Hz seem to be optimal<ref name="EMSBrod11"/>.)
* '''Does Not Reduce Weight.''' EMS does not help with weight reduction or fat loss<ref name="EMSFda"/><ref name="EMSPorc05"/>. In 2002 the FTC charged three companies with false claims about [[Weight Loss]] from EMS devices<ref name="EMSFtc"/>.