In this interview with MEDICA.tradefair.com, Professor Wolfgang Kemmler, who has conducted several studies on the effects of WB-EMS training, describes the target audience for an EMS training program, clarifies whether it is more situated in the field of fitness or prevention and explains whether it is able to replace conventional training.
Professor Kemmler, what is the principle behind whole-body electromyostimulation?
Prof. Wolfgang Kemmler: In the case of WB-EMS, stimulation current is applied to the muscles akin to the well-known local EMS technology. The new aspect with WB-EMS is that it not only activates one individual body area but is able to simultaneously stimulate all major muscle groups, but with varying regional intensity. All in all, this pertains to up to twelve body regions with a surface area measuring approximately 2,800 square centimeters.
What can EMS contribute to preventing diseases or pain from your point of view? Would you rather situate it in the area of fitness or prevention?
Kemmler: EMS has a wide variety of applications. The classic therapeutic realm typically uses local electrical stimulation, for example, when the goal is a regeneration of hamstring tendons after anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Meanwhile, WB-EMS is primarily used in preventive medicine, particularly in the case of systemic diseases. In older people, for example, this pertains to so-called sarcopenia, the loss of muscle tissue as part of the aging process. Having said that, EMS or WB-EMS can also be used in the fitness or competitive sports realm. In competitive sports, it is less used to facilitate improvements in specific disciplines but rather to help strengthen and maintain the back muscles. This applies to runners or cyclists, who don’t want to invest time in preventive back muscle exercises for example. On the whole, there are many different areas of application. WB-EMS should primarily be recognized as a strength oriented training technology, that is to say, as long as the training goals are not too specific, WB-EMS can be seen as a time-efficient option to a strength training program. Existing research shows that the effect of WB-EMS on muscle mass and hypertrophy is comparable. However, it produces a somewhat lesser effect on functional abilities like muscle strength or performance.