By MaryAnn DePietro CRT
An electrical impulse delivered through the skin to your muscles may sound like a strange therapy. However, stim machines are a non-invasive treatment to improve muscle strength, decrease pain, and treat various medical conditions.
Stim machines deliver electrical impulses to the muscles or nerves via electrodes placed on the skin. The mechanism of action may differ depending on the type of stim machine.
For instance, EMS machines deliver an electrical impulse to the motor neurons, stimulating muscle contraction. TENS units deliver low-intensity electrical stimulation to the nerves to block pain. Stim machine benefits may help repair tissue, strengthen muscles, and reduce pain.
The article below will provide a detailed overview of the benefits of electrical stimulation machines. After reading this article, you’ll have a thorough understanding of the potential uses of these devices.
Stim machines deliver a controlled electrical impulse through electrodes placed on the skin. Depending on the type of stim machine, the electrical impulse targets the muscle or the nerves.
The electrical impulses from the stim machine mimic your body's natural electrical signals. This causes nerve stimulation or muscle contractions.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are both E-stim forms but have different purposes.
Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) uses electrical impulses to stimulate muscle contraction and strengthen the muscles.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) reduces pain instead of stimulating muscle contraction.
Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) delivers electrical impulses that cause muscle contraction by stimulating motor neurons. It strengthens the muscle, improves endurance, and reduces atrophy. It may also decrease pain and muscle spasms. EMS is used in athletics, fitness, and the medical field.
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a type of EMS that delivers an electrical impulse to the muscle. This leads to muscle contraction to strengthen the muscle. However, FES typically targets muscle strengthening for performing functional movements, such as walking, pushing, and grasping. It is used in rehabilitation and physical therapy.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is also a form of EMS primarily used for pain relief. It works by stimulating sensory nerves and possibly releasing endorphins, which reduces pain.
EMS, including tens treatment, may help provide temporary pain relief. This 2022 meta-analysis examined the use of EMS to reduce pain and improve functionality. Researchers reviewed 27 articles, including 23 studies.
The studies examined TENS therapy for treating pain from conditions like osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. Researchers concluded that TENS and EMS may efficiently relieve pain in various types of acute and chronic pain conditions. However, additional studies are needed to determine the extent of pain relief.
Using alternative methods to reduce pain may lead to less pain medication. According to the Cleveland Clinic, TENS therapy may reduce pain medication dosage in some people. EMS and TENS may also reduce pain by stimulating the nerve cells that block pain transmission signals. They also promote the release of endorphins, which naturally help relieve pain.
EMS stimulates motor nerves, which activate muscle fibers and lead to muscle contraction. EMS recruits both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers.
EMS can increase muscle strength and power. This 2023 study examined the impact of EMS and resistance training on the athlete's power, strength, and muscle mass. The study involved 28 athletes divided into two groups.
One group performed resistance training with daily EMS. The other group performed just resistance training. The study lasted 8 weeks.
Results indicated the EMS and resistance training group had significantly improved their strength and muscle mass. This was greater than that of the resistance training group.
Due to repetitive muscle contractions, EMS can improve muscle endurance. Causing involuntary contraction through EMS increases strength similarly to voluntary contractions. This may not only improve strength and power but also enhance functional endurance.
Because of the placement of the electrodes, EMS can target specific muscle contractions. This allows targeting potentially atrophied muscles and muscles involved in specific functional activities, such as pushing or pulling.
Through muscle contraction, EMS may prevent or slow muscle atrophy, which leads to muscle loss and weakness. A study in the journal Critical Care Research and Practice involved 142 hospitalized patients divided into two groups. One group received 55 minutes of EMS daily to their legs, while the other did not. The results indicated that the group that received daily EMS had less muscle atrophy at discharge than the group that did not receive EMS.
Stim machine benefits can include post-surgical rehabilitation. EMS is helpful for rehabilitation through muscle strengthening and re-education. It can improve blood circulation, which promotes healing. It can also be a valuable tool in pain management.
EMS can be helpful for sports injury rehabilitation. EMS improves blood flow, which helps carry nutrients and oxygen to the injured muscle to promote healing. Improving circulation also helps stimulate the repair of the damaged tissue. Targeting specific muscles can also help with functional recovery, strengthening the exact muscles involved in a particular sport.
Patients undergoing stroke rehabilitation can benefit from the use of a stim machine. For instance, EMS can reduce muscle spasticity and improve motor control and range of motion through muscle contraction.
A systematic review in the journal Stroke analyzed 23 trials. These trials used EMS to recover movement and functional ability after a stroke. Researchers concluded that EMS could improve weakness on one side of the body after a stroke.
Unused muscles can atrophy after a spinal cord injury, making rehabilitation more challenging. EMS provides involuntary muscle contractions similar to regular muscle contractions. This can strengthen muscles after a spinal cord injury, decreasing the degree of atrophy.
Incontinence is a common problem, especially for older women. EMS may improve incontinence by strengthening the pelvic floor muscles.
This 2022 review examined 27 articles. It found that EMS can help strengthen pelvic floor muscles. It also reduces incontinence without surgery.
Electrical muscle stimulation, both TENS and EMS, may improve local blood circulation due to muscle contraction. EMS provides more substantial blood circulation, while TENS may have a minor effect.
According to the Mayo Clinic, electrical muscle stimulation, including TENS, may promote the release of substances, such as:
Endorphins
And enkephalins.
Both naturally reduce pain. The degree of pain reduction may depend on treatment parameters such as the intensity link and the length of the treatment session.
EMS can enhance the range of motion through muscle activation and contraction. While TENS therapy cannot directly enhance range of motion, it may decrease pain, which results in improved flexibility.
One of the benefits of electrical stimulation is that it offers a noninvasive, non-pharmaceutical option. Certain options to treat pain, such as injections, are invasive. In addition, pain medication can have side effects and become habit-forming. EMS provides an alternative to these other treatment modalities.
Many stim devices, including EMS and TENS units, are easy to use and portable. Although devices may vary in size, portability is one of the benefits of muscle stimulants.
EMS may reduce muscle spasms by triggering contractions and tiring the spasming muscle, causing it to relax.
A study published in the journal Neuromodulation examined the use of EMS for muscle spasms. It involved 32 adults with either lumbar spinal stenosis or lumbar herniation who suffered from cramps in their gastrocnemius.
EMS was applied to the calf muscle twice a week for 4 weeks. Leg cramps or spasms decreased by 25%. TENS therapy may also help indirectly by stimulating sensory nerves, which may relax the muscle and reduce spasming.
Both EMS and TENS therapy provide a massage-like sensation depending on specific settings. This massage sensation can promote relaxation and reduce pain.
Studies are limited on the cosmetic muscle toning benefit of EMS. Firming and strengthening the muscles through EMS may give the appearance of tighter abs. However, currently, EMS devices are not cleared for cosmetic muscle toning.
EMS can enhance proprioception, which is body awareness. The improvement in proprioception occurs due to muscle activation through repeated muscle contraction. Proprioception is important for maintaining balance.
Using a TENS device may reduce nerve sensitization by sending electrical impulses to the nerves and blocking pain signals. This may reduce pain from various conditions, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and back pain.
The chart below provides potential benefits from EMS, FES, and TENS therapy.
Key:
Yes: The device type is generally known to offer this benefit.
No: The device type typically does not directly offer this benefit.
Maybe: The device type may offer this benefit in some specific applications or indirectly.
The chart below provides potential benefits from EMS, FES, and TENS therapy.
Key:
Yes: The device type is generally known to offer this benefit.
No: The device type typically does not directly offer this benefit.
Maybe: The device type may offer this benefit in some specific applications or indirectly.
The benefits of stim machines include pain management, muscle recovery, and various types of rehabilitation. These include sports injuries, strokes, and spinal cord injuries. Electrical muscle stimulation offers a noninvasive, drug-free option to treat pain.
It's vital to follow the manufacturer's recommendations when using any stim machine. Also, if you are unsure if you are an appropriate candidate for EMS, speak to your health care provider before using one.
To learn more about TENS and its benefits, explore the various TENS 7000 units to determine your options.
MaryAnn DePietro CRT is a licensed respiratory therapist with over 15 years of clinical experience in critical care, emergency medicine, and pulmonary rehabilitation. She is also an American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer and holds specialty certifications in orthopedics, senior fitness, and weight management. MaryAnn has a degree in Rehabilitation from Penn State University and a degree in respiratory therapy.
In addition to her clinical experience, she has written extensively about all things medical, as well as health, fitness, and aging for various websites, magazines, and newspapers.
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