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Study: Effect of Electrical Stimulation on Blood Flow in Calves in Different Body Positions (Add to physiotherapy)

An experiment studied the effects, if any, that electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) had on the blood flow of the participants involved. The study involved putting each participant in two different positions--lying horizontally, and sitting--and testing their blood flow rates before and after EMS was applied. It was found that in both the lying and sitting positions, EMS changed the participants' blood flows, especially their arterial blood flow. In the lying position, participants' arterial blood flow was found to be much higher compared to when they were sitting. This information indicates that EMS has an effect on the blood flow specifically in the calves, and this blood flow changes as body position changes since blood flow was increased when lying horizontally.

Study: Acromiohumeral Distance During Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation of Lower Traps and Serratus Anterior in Healthy Participants (Add to physiotherapy)

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), or neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), is often used for rehabilitation as mentioned before. In this study, therapy for subacromial impingement was investigated. When one has subacromial impingement, the area between their collarbone and upper arm (acromiohumeral) is tighter than normal; therefore, the distance between the two body parts is typically shorter. This experiment used NMES on the participants' lower trapezius and serratus anterior to stimulate the necessary muscles for elongating the impinged acromiohumeral distance. By targeting these muscles with NMES, the participants would gain movement, including tilting and rotating, of their scapula. The results showed that the acromiohumeral distance increased following the NMES procedure; the distance increased when each muscle was targeted independently, as well as together. The study also displayed the substantial influence in which the lower trapezius and serratus anterior muscles have on the flexibility of the scapula which in turn affects the acromiohumeral distance.

Study: Electrical Muscle Stimulation of the Hamstrings (Add to physiotherapy)

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is also used for sports training, not just rehabilitation. In this study, changes in muscle strength due to EMS were tested. To begin each session, the participants conducted a five minute cardiovascular exercise to warm up their muscles. Following the warm-up, EMS was applied to the hamstring muscle group while the participant performed knee extension and flexion. The EMS training sessions lasted for a total of four weeks, and the outcomes showed a substantial change of muscle strength for knee flexion, but not as much for knee extension.

(Add to history):

The concept of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) began thousands of years ago in Ancient Greece when a Greek physician, Aeitus, treated a person's case of gout with an electric fish. Following this established concept, electricity was used in an attempt to rehabilitate muscles for the next 2000 years. Eventually, in the 19th century, a neurologist named Duchenne found that electrical muscle stimulation could also help relax overactive muscles. In 1971, published articles from the USSR, led the United States to expand on the idea of EMS. Traditionally, EMS was used to strengthen the quadriceps muscles, but today, the technique is also used for both rehabilitation and muscle improvement.

Study: Changes in Corticospinal Excitability with Short-Duration High-Frequency EMS--Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study (add to Stroke Rehabilitation)

When electrical stimulation is applied to peripheral nerves and/or muscles of healthy participants for a long period of time, the corticospinal tract reacts. A study tested the effects of short-duration and high-frequency EMS compared to the traditional long-duration studies. The participants received EMS on a thumb muscle called the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) for 120 seconds. At the same time, transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied to their head near the motor cortex of the brain. The electrical stimulation of the motor cortex, also called motor evoke potentials (MEP), were recorded both before and after the dual stimulations. The final records showed that even short-duration stimulation can increase the MEP of the motor cortex which in turn increases the excitability of the corticospinal tract. Although a change occurred due to EMS, it only lasted for 20 minutes following the therapy.

Study: Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation on Muscle Tone and Stiffness of Stroke Patients (add to Stroke Rehabilitation)

A common side effect of strokes is the inability to control important muscles of the body, specifically the leg and foot muscles. This study focused on the effects of EMS on increasing muscle tone and decreasing stiffness of the ankle dorsiflexor muscle, the gastrocnemius, on stroke survivors. Each of the ten patients received EMS therapy for 30 minutes five times a week for six weeks. It was found that the both medial and lateral portions of the gastrocnemius increased in muscle tone and decreased in muscle stiffness. Although changes were apparent in both situations, the decrease in stiffness was more significant than the increase in muscle tone. This study showed that stroke survivors suffering from decreased balance and motor control can be treated with EMS.