Electro-Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is the concept whereby electric impulses are used to contract muscles. EMS has been used in the field of medicine as therapy for muscle atrophy, as well as in many other conditions ^[1]. There has also been use in the field of personal care (where it is also known as electro-muscle toning) to help tone muscles, decrease body fat, as well as an adjunct to weight training. The efficacy of the devices for these uses has been debated^[1] but a few home devices have survived some scientific scrutiny for their advertised uses^[2]. EMS became popular in salons in the 1970s and home treatment units became increasingly popular during the early 1990s. Since the mid-1990s, wearable units in which EMS circuitry is contained in belt-like garments, neoprene shorts or other clothing items, have caused a significant growth in the EMS market. Most of these units are sold by mail order. Many of the newer units are available in fashionable colours and fabrics such as Zebra, Leopard and Cowprint in a bid to move away from the traditional sports market and appeal to a new younger consumer. A top-down view of skeletal muscle A muscle contraction (also known as a muscle twitch or simply twitch) occurs when a muscle fiber generates tension through the action of actin and myosin cross-bridge cycling. ... For other uses of Muscles, see Muscles (disambiguation). ... For the chemical substances known as medicines, see medication. ... Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. ... This article is about strength training using weight (gravity) to generate resistance to contraction. ... Mail order is a term which describes the buying of goods or services by mail delivery. ...

There are other devices used for serious sport training that have been recently introduced in the US market. These are used on the limbs for which sport training is sought and have a variety of programs for different training goals such as: maximum strength (similar to weight training), explosive strength (for training the execution of fast sport movements), endurance and recovery (which decrease the delayed onset of muscle soreness, aka DOMS). One such device, called Body Transformer, trains over 90% of all skeletal muscles in the body simultaneously while delivering a level of muscular stimulation unimaginable using conventional resistance-based training methods.

Recently the FTC has cracked down on consumer EMS devices that made unsubstantiated claims^[3]; most have been removed from the market. Currently only a handful of EMS devices have been cleared by the FDA for legal sale in the US, without the need for a medical prescription. Go to http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRL/listing.cfm, type NGX in the Product Code field and enter: the EastView, the Globus Premium, the Home Care, the Zomax, the Valmed the Slendertone (Flex and 512), and the Sun-Rain.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Google Answers - "Q: Electronic Stomach Muscle Toning"
2. ^ Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Training on Abdominal Strength, Endurance, and Selected Anthropometric Measures - Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2005)4,66-75 (pdf)
3. ^ FTC Charges Three Top-selling Electronic Abdominal Exercise Belts with Making False Claims
4. ^ FDA page on EMS devices

External links

• MEDI-STIM, INC., ELECTROTHERAPY OVERVIEW
• RS Medical, Electrotherapy overview
• Seattle Times - opinion piece on personal electronic muscle stimulation belts
• John Porcari @ University of Wisconsin-La Crosse next plans to study ems buttocks and thigh toners
• [http://www.bodytransformer.co.uk UK Homepage for Body Transformer